Up and down the scale goes, not sure what i need to do.

I've been with MFP for 2 1/2 years and the first year I did great but the last year and half can't seem to break plateau. I have tried everything from upping calories, decreasing calories, spike days, exercising more and less, I even had blood work to check thyroid. Everything has worked for a few weeks and I lose a few pounds and than bam it creeps back up. I'm at a total loss so I'm asking for advice. I'm 5'6.5 and weigh 214.1, I work in a busy orthodontic office where I spend a lot of time on my feet, I currently strength train 3 days a week for about a hour each workout. I also try to get a run or walk at least 2-3 days a week. I'm not sure if I have my calories set up right, I went with scooby calculator. Please pass on any advice you have because I'm at the end of my rope.

Replies

  • Rob_CJR
    Rob_CJR Posts: 12 Member
    If you do not eat clean then you are wasting time in the gym. Congrats on the progress so far but its time to make some diet changes. You need to eat more and smaller meals, lean and green. 5-6 meals. Your not at the end... keep up the good work.
  • norcal_yogi
    norcal_yogi Posts: 675 Member
    i'd drop your calories down a little... maybe to 1800-1900 and see how it goes for at least 2 weeks.
  • holleysings
    holleysings Posts: 664 Member
    I've been with MFP for 2 1/2 years and the first year I did great but the last year and half can't seem to break plateau. I have tried everything from upping calories, decreasing calories, spike days, exercising more and less, I even had blood work to check thyroid. Everything has worked for a few weeks and I lose a few pounds and than bam it creeps back up. I'm at a total loss so I'm asking for advice. I'm 5'6.5 and weigh 214.1, I work in a busy orthodontic office where I spend a lot of time on my feet, I currently strength train 3 days a week for about a hour each workout. I also try to get a run or walk at least 2-3 days a week. I'm not sure if I have my calories set up right, I went with scooby calculator. Please pass on any advice you have because I'm at the end of my rope.

    How is your consistency? Have you done each of the things you've tried for 8 weeks without making any changes? Honestly, the first thing you should look at is consistency and your food diary. Be honest with yourself. Is that dessert happening more often than you realized? I look at my diary as a whole week to try to keep eating out and desserts in check. Going day by day can let sometimes things turn into every day things.

    Also, if you're spending a lot of time on your feet, make sure you're accounting for that in your activity level. That could put you at extremely active.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I've been with MFP for 2 1/2 years and the first year I did great but the last year and half can't seem to break plateau. I have tried everything from upping calories, decreasing calories, spike days, exercising more and less, I even had blood work to check thyroid. Everything has worked for a few weeks and I lose a few pounds and than bam it creeps back up. I'm at a total loss so I'm asking for advice. I'm 5'6.5 and weigh 214.1, I work in a busy orthodontic office where I spend a lot of time on my feet, I currently strength train 3 days a week for about a hour each workout. I also try to get a run or walk at least 2-3 days a week. I'm not sure if I have my calories set up right, I went with scooby calculator. Please pass on any advice you have because I'm at the end of my rope.

    What have you based your BMR on as basis of TDEE estimate - Katch BMR using bodyfat estimate, or Mifflin or Harris based on age, weight, height?

    Activity level was based on hrs of exercise only, or you bumped up a level or half because daily routine is not sedentary?

    You weighed your food for a couple weeks to see what inaccuracies there are with other methods?

    What has happened with inches since weight has remained the same?

    And have you taken a diet break of a week or longer, if so how long ago?
  • I've been with MFP for 2 1/2 years and the first year I did great but the last year and half can't seem to break plateau. I have tried everything from upping calories, decreasing calories, spike days, exercising more and less, I even had blood work to check thyroid. Everything has worked for a few weeks and I lose a few pounds and than bam it creeps back up. I'm at a total loss so I'm asking for advice. I'm 5'6.5 and weigh 214.1, I work in a busy orthodontic office where I spend a lot of time on my feet, I currently strength train 3 days a week for about a hour each workout. I also try to get a run or walk at least 2-3 days a week. I'm not sure if I have my calories set up right, I went with scooby calculator. Please pass on any advice you have because I'm at the end of my rope.

    What have you based your BMR on as basis of TDEE estimate - Katch BMR using bodyfat estimate, or Mifflin or Harris based on age, weight, height?

    Activity level was based on hrs of exercise only, or you bumped up a level or half because daily routine is not sedentary?

    You weighed your food for a couple weeks to see what inaccuracies there are with other methods?

    What has happened with inches since weight has remained the same?

    And have you taken a diet break of a week or longer, if so how long ago?
    I think Scooby uses Mifflin, and that's where I got my BMR and TDEE, I did go up a level due to work and seeing your post on how to figure the hours to add for work. I do weigh my food most of the time when its available. And it has been a little while since taking a break but I will get that the week after next while on vacation.

    I know some of food choices aren't the best of choices, but its impossible for me to get 5-6 small meals in at work. We don't get a break in morning or afternoon, only the lunch hour. So it leaves me trying to eat more calories 3 times a day. Maybe I just need a diet break, and a little more time for this way of eating to change my metabolism.
    Thanks for al the replies I will take everything into thought.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    I think Scooby uses Mifflin, and that's where I got my BMR and TDEE, I did go up a level due to work and seeing your post on how to figure the hours to add for work. I do weigh my food most of the time when its available. And it has been a little while since taking a break but I will get that the week after next while on vacation.

    I know some of food choices aren't the best of choices, but its impossible for me to get 5-6 small meals in at work. We don't get a break in morning or afternoon, only the lunch hour. So it leaves me trying to eat more calories 3 times a day. Maybe I just need a diet break, and a little more time for this way of eating to change my metabolism.
    Thanks for al the replies I will take everything into thought.

    Don't worry about many small meals - that's a myth it increases your metabolism. You'll have increased metabolism for processing food whether eaten all at once or many small meals. Personal preference.
    What many small meals does for some is constantly giving them elevated insulin levels, which means longer time spent in fat storage mode - actually a bad thing.

    So Mifflin and Harris BMR calculations was based on study participants already at healthy weight with average healthy ratio of fat to non-fat mass.

    When overweight, guess what you don't have ....

    Best to use Katch BMR, I've seen many cases of 200-400 calorie inflated for Mifflin compared to Katch. Multiply that out by TDEE activity factor, take a deficit, and in reality, you may have no deficit at all.
    That means you need a decent bodyfat estimate within 5%.

    I'm totally convinced many on here are doing that, as they see inches drop and great improvement from strength training, which usually shows eating at maintenance.
    Which is fine without much to lose and going for body recomp. You finally reach state you have enough LBM to cause a deficit to current eating level and no longer at maintenance, but it'll take a long time.
    But if you actually need to lose fat faster but still at safe level and weight to help joints, then not a great way.

    Try this for best estimates of everything and eating goal based on your exercise type and amount to lose.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/961054-spreadsheet-for-bodyfat-bmr-tdee-progress-tracker