Weight loss plateau for 5 months, desperately need help :(
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mochicakes92
Posts: 48 Member
I have not been losing any weight since February. I started out 200 lbs last September and would slowly work my way down by creating a deficit of 1600 calories for a while, then after losing around 5 lbs and reaching that plateau I would slowly raise it again to the normal 2000 calories or so and then drop it down to say 1500 once I had gotten used to eating 2000 calories again. I would repeat this cycle a few times over the months until I had dropped from 200 to 180ish, and whenever I raised my calories I never gained. But the last time this worked for me was in February. It doesn't work anymore and I feel like I have tried everything. I eat only around 1500 calories a day now (give or take), and I don't gain or lose. For a while I was even eating around 1200 and still saw no results. I am not gaining any, but I am also not losing any. I reallly don't know what to do. Should I eat more, eat less? I really don't see going under 1300 again as a viable option for me. Should I incorporate more strength training? I am so lost and confused. Someone please help. I also do cardio but I generally try to make up for the deficit again for fear of consuming too few calories. Should I just not make up for that deficit? I need help, and lots of it.
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Replies
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1) you will very likely get more help if you open your diary
2) do you do any activity? If so do you eat back exercise calories?
3) do you weigh or measure everything?
4) do you log every single thing religiously?
5) have you seen a doctor to rule out metabolic disorders (unlikely)0 -
1) you will very likely get more help if you open your diary
2) do you do any activity? If so do you eat back exercise calories?
3) do you weigh or measure everything?
4) do you log every single thing religiously?
5) have you seen a doctor to rule out metabolic disorders (unlikely)
1) I want to open my diary but am embarrassed lol, especially with how not good I have kind of been doing lately. I feel almost like a "wtf ever, nothing is going to improve so why try that hard" attitude at this point. And also, today was a REALLY off day. I'll do it but I am scared of the criticism lol xD
2) I generally do the Leslie Sansone "Walk at Home" program for 20-30 minutes a day, and do a LOT of running around and organizing at work that I just log as cleaning. Somedays I eat back all of the deficit, other days I am terrified too.
3) I weigh myself every few days or so.
4) I log EVERYTHING religiously.
5) No, but that does seem highly unlikely lol.
If I open up my diary and you guys just ignore today's entry like it never happened lol, would it be easier?0 -
Alright, I opened up my diary lol. Like I said, today was a total off day, so that's kind of why I was embarrassed lol0
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Hi I looked at your diary and past days...your sodium is high some days and calories too..also your workouts don't seem a lot if your trying to lose weight. Not judging just offering advice. In addition...you are not consistent always with logging these can be the reasons why you seem to be in a plateau but really are not....try being really diligent for 2 months then see if your losing.....good luck0
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So sodium = bad, right? I see so many mixed reviews on this lol. Also, add more cardio, or...? I have been lifting but I don't really put that in my log.Hi I looked at your diary and past days...your sodium is high some days and calories too..also your workouts don't seem a lot if your trying to lose weight. Not judging just offering advice. In addition...you are not consistent always with logging these can be the reasons why you seem to be in a plateau but really are not....try being really diligent for 2 months then see if your losing.....good luck
And if I do more cardio should I make up for the deficit by eating more? That is really a big question I have, I guess. I feel like the cardio really doesn't even make a lot of sense to do at all if I am just going to eat it back up. So should I take in like 1500 calories a day and burn 200 and then just leave it at that?0 -
hi!
my only suggestion would be..
in your settings do you have your job as one that has the running around included, or as sedentary?
you may be 'doubling up' if you log cleaning as the running around at work, when this could already be included in your daily calorie intake.. just a thought to consider
if you want to do more cardio, maybe try the c25k phone app, it works wonders 0 -
I'm just frustrated because for a while I was AT 1200 total daily and nothing happened. But I've always heard you should never go under 1200 calories a day. So really I was going as low as possible and STILL nothing. I'm sooo confused.0
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Are you drinking enough water?
It helps your body in so many ways and I feel less hungry if I drink lots of water.
Also, no judgement or anything... but vegetables?
And some fruit?
(just looked at a couple of your diary entries)
I believe mindset is also a big part of losing weight.
Love yourself!
Just the way you are!
Take care of yourself, you are your own best friend...
Believe in yourself!
You can do it!
Good luck &take care
PS if you eat too little, your body goes in starvation mode and you won't loose weight, maybe even gain weight.
So try to eat enough!0 -
So sodium = bad, right? I see so many mixed reviews on this lol. Also, add more cardio, or...? I have been lifting but I don't really put that in my log.
And if I do more cardio should I make up for the deficit by eating more? That is really a big question I have, I guess. I feel like the cardio really doesn't even make a lot of sense to do at all if I am just going to eat it back up. So should I take in like 1500 calories a day and burn 200 and then just leave it at that?
Sodium = Water Retention, it's not bad per-say if you're healthy, but it can cause your weight to fluctuate up for a day or two after consuming a large amount of it. If you're concerned... drink more water, 80oz a day or so should keep flushing it through pretty rapidly.
My best advice after looking over your diary is this: Eat back 50% of your exercise calories that you log instead of all of them.
I also would be curious to know, what is your height? I'm curious to calculate what your BMR/TDEE numbers show and see if that is matching up to what you're seeing.0 -
I would invest in a good heart rate monitor "Polar" is what I use to calculate what your burning per workout as opposed to MFP database ..if you want to keep it simple eat back 1/2 of your workout calories don't force it **eat more veggies and protein** don't think of those as free calories for junk....I personally do not eat back my workout cals but that is what works for me it may not work for you. Try more cardio maybe walking perhaps a burn of 400 or so..I saw you did things like a burn of 69-100 I don't think you will get far with that honestly.....and probably will have to limit that fast food to one time a week......sodium I try to keep at 2500....and my carbs to 180g per day....again this is what works for me and only advice. Good luck0
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First, big congratulations on keeping going even though you have plateaued for such a long time. DO NOT GIVE UP.
Second, are you actually eating enough?
Third, I think you will find it easier to lose weight if you exercise for sixty minutes five times a week. But not if you eat so that there is no calorie deficit. Use the calculator on this site to get your recommended calories. And mix up your exercise, take on a new cardio class or something.
Fourth ST three times a week maintains your muscles and you need muscles to burn fat. So if yo are going to skip any exercise, DON'T SKIP THE ST.
Fifth are you sleeping well and are you drinking 8 glasses of water?
If all these things don't work for you, maybe try to confuse your system by going on a diet of some sort.0 -
Thank you guys for all the feedback!! It really means a lot, and also that you all aren't super critical lol. And what some of you said about trying in a new fitness regime, my friends and I decided we are going to take a pole fitness class and see where that gets us, so I'm excited and hope that makes a difference!!
Also, I sooo realize that a lot of my eating habits are bad, and working on them is hard for me. I'll be out with my boyfriend and we'll have nothing else to do so it's like "Hey, let's go eat" or something, and we are also broke so cheap fast food is the option. I know it's awful because I am a socially bad eater, but when I am by myself I tend to do better. Also, as far as the veggies go there are just very select few veggies that I can bring myself to eat. I am such a picky eater and it's honestly been a hard thing to deal with now that I'm trying to improve my health lol. So my question is, it's not so much about calories then but more so where they come from then, correct? I lost 20 lbs just kind of winging it, but honestly I do still need help and improvement big time. So it really means sooo much to me that you guys took the time to look over my diary and give feedback on this thread!0 -
So sodium = bad, right? I see so many mixed reviews on this lol. Also, add more cardio, or...? I have been lifting but I don't really put that in my log.
And if I do more cardio should I make up for the deficit by eating more? That is really a big question I have, I guess. I feel like the cardio really doesn't even make a lot of sense to do at all if I am just going to eat it back up. So should I take in like 1500 calories a day and burn 200 and then just leave it at that?
Sodium = Water Retention, it's not bad per-say if you're healthy, but it can cause your weight to fluctuate up for a day or two after consuming a large amount of it. If you're concerned... drink more water, 80oz a day or so should keep flushing it through pretty rapidly.
My best advice after looking over your diary is this: Eat back 50% of your exercise calories that you log instead of all of them.
I also would be curious to know, what is your height? I'm curious to calculate what your BMR/TDEE numbers show and see if that is matching up to what you're seeing.
My height is 5'7" ^.^0 -
I wish I could offer advice. But I want to tell you that I'm cheering for you because you have stuck with it for so long. I was plateaued for a whole year. In fact, I have only started losing weight again for the last month and a half, so I know VERY WELL what you are going through right now. I was losing and regaining the same 5-10 pounds forEVER.
For me, the only thing that seems to be working for me is to eat 1200 per day. I was stuck between 285-292 pounds from last July/August until earlier this month, and now I am finally in the 270's with a very consistent 2 lbs/week loss.
I hope you can find the number that works for you... I suspect I may have thyroid issues or something that's causing my system not to follow the simple calories in vs. calories out method. But for now, 1200 is working, so I'll just keep doing it until it stops doing so.![:\](https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
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I think you are doing a pretty good job with your total number of calories. However, you are young and unfortunately, you seem to eat a lot of junk. Not criticizing---I'm a Mom of a 23 year old daughter who is also trying to lose weight, so I am going to talk to you like I talk to her. Forget all those folks who say a calorie is a calorie. Not really true when you are trying to lose. Yes, it did work for the first 20 pounds. That's because when you have more to lose, it is easier to lose. Now that you have dropped the easy pounds, you are going to have to work at it a lot harder.
Start being sincere about your desire to eat healthier. That is what you stated in your profile. And you Are doing a good job of trying to keep your calories in check and trying to get some exercise. Unfortunately, you need to revamp your game plan a little. Find veges that you will eat. They are very important. Even fast food places have grilled chicken and salad choices. You can NEVer GO WRONG with salad! Unless you throw a bunch of extra calories on it! Also, there is no fruit in your diet nor lean meat. It is great that you are eating eggs/eggwhites almost daily. That is very good for you and good for weight loss. Also, and this is hard.....do NOT drink your calories. Sodas are just garbage calories. I know that is hard, but many of us have conquered the Soda Monster. It can be done. There is nothing wrong with some pizza, just eat less and fill up on a salad with it. And, like someone else said, try to limit the fast food or look for something healthier at the fast food place. If you want a burger, that is okay. Just don't touch the fries and the soda. Water will not kill you! lol I hated water at first. It is a habit you can make if you want.
Also, as someone else mentioned....if you are really serious about dropping some more weight, it would be very helpful if you did UP your exercise. Walking is great. Turn on your fav music and DANCE your heart away. Can some of your cheap dates be roller skating or walking around the park. If money is tight, then a home-made picnic is pretty cheap (with fruits, healthy sandwich, or salad). You can have a nice walk around the park, find a romantic spot, sit down and enjoy the food and the company. Take a ball and toss it around. Or a hula hoop. Make it a fun date. Play on the swings/slide. Play chase! Find places to go dance. That burns a lot if you can stay away from the sodas or alcohol. There are a million ways to incorporate FUN play into exercise. And that can be easy on the budget. Find free concerts...even if it is not your type of music. It is something to do and you can dance to anything! :bigsmile:
Good luck honey. Hope I didn't sound mean. I am just a Mama. You will feel amazing when you get a little weight off--you have already done a good job and you are definitely not toooo heavy, so you do not have a long way to go. Just eat a little better and move a little more and it will happen.0 -
Eat more.0
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I think you are doing a pretty good job with your total number of calories. However, you are young and unfortunately, you seem to eat a lot of junk. Not criticizing---I'm a Mom of a 23 year old daughter who is also trying to lose weight, so I am going to talk to you like I talk to her. Forget all those folks who say a calorie is a calorie. Not really true when you are trying to lose. Yes, it did work for the first 20 pounds. That's because when you have more to lose, it is easier to lose. Now that you have dropped the easy pounds, you are going to have to work at it a lot harder.
Start being sincere about your desire to eat healthier. That is what you stated in your profile. And you Are doing a good job of trying to keep your calories in check and trying to get some exercise. Unfortunately, you need to revamp your game plan a little. Find veges that you will eat. They are very important. Even fast food places have grilled chicken and salad choices. You can NEVer GO WRONG with salad! Unless you throw a bunch of extra calories on it! Also, there is no fruit in your diet nor lean meat. It is great that you are eating eggs/eggwhites almost daily. That is very good for you and good for weight loss. Also, and this is hard.....do NOT drink your calories. Sodas are just garbage calories. I know that is hard, but many of us have conquered the Soda Monster. It can be done. There is nothing wrong with some pizza, just eat less and fill up on a salad with it. And, like someone else said, try to limit the fast food or look for something healthier at the fast food place. If you want a burger, that is okay. Just don't touch the fries and the soda. Water will not kill you! lol I hated water at first. It is a habit you can make if you want.
Also, as someone else mentioned....if you are really serious about dropping some more weight, it would be very helpful if you did UP your exercise. Walking is great. Turn on your fav music and DANCE your heart away. Can some of your cheap dates be roller skating or walking around the park. If money is tight, then a home-made picnic is pretty cheap (with fruits, healthy sandwich, or salad). You can have a nice walk around the park, find a romantic spot, sit down and enjoy the food and the company. Take a ball and toss it around. Or a hula hoop. Make it a fun date. Play on the swings/slide. Play chase! Find places to go dance. That burns a lot if you can stay away from the sodas or alcohol. There are a million ways to incorporate FUN play into exercise. And that can be easy on the budget. Find free concerts...even if it is not your type of music. It is something to do and you can dance to anything! :bigsmile:
Good luck honey. Hope I didn't sound mean. I am just a Mama. You will feel amazing when you get a little weight off--you have already done a good job and you are definitely not toooo heavy, so you do not have a long way to go. Just eat a little better and move a little more and it will happen.
This is probably one of the most helpful encouraging things I have read on this whole site, and it does make a lot of sense. Like I said, me and my friend decided we are going to take a pole dancing class twice a week now, so that will definitely up the exercise! And yes, I will make a list of all the veggies I like and start eating those more. As far as fruit goes i LOVE watermelon but saw how expensive that got so I kind of cut back on that. When you are broke and busy a lot, cheap sodium filled foods just kind of become your default. But I have been feeling more conscious of that lately, which I feel is a good first step!0 -
Hi. Just quickly, had a look at your diary. My nutritionist suggest 3 meals plus 2 snacks a day, plus a post workout protein shake if you weight lift. If you want to lose weight, your body will do it most efficiently if you give you it good fuel. This means loads of veggies, 2 fruit a day and lean protein at every meal with sensible carbs (i.e. brown rice other whole grains). I would definitely eat back some of you exercise calories, as someone else mentioned ~50% would probably do it and it might be worth checking out your BMR/TDEE.
Good luck and don't give up 0 -
Try modifying your macronutrients. Try lowering your carbs slightly and increasing your protein and fat intake. I've heard of people being "carb sensitive" before. Generally people recommending eating around 1g of protein/lean body mass. Unless you have kidney problems or your doctor does not recommend you eating higher amounts of protein you should be okay. Keep it up!0
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The dancing sounds great! Well done for sticking with it and losing so much in the first place. So to repeat some of the advice here, more water, more lean meat and veg. Less processed food, and find an exercise you really enjoy. And sort out that boyfriend of yours! It has taken me a year to educate my husband not to pour booze down me all the time and to be supportive. He is now very encouraging and is starting to look at his weight seriously. Having a supportive partner is half the battle. If I know I am going out to eat I eat under the day before. As long as the average over the week is on target you should be ok. Really good luck to you. It will all be worth it!0
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