Stuck at a plateau

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danalana1
danalana1 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I started my diet on April 1st, between then and now I've lost about 25 pounds. I went from 161 to 134, but for the last 2-3 weeks I have stayed at 134. I exercise daily, walk, jog, ride my bike, and use the elliptical and treadmill. I take in about 1200-1400 calories a day, and try to even out to 1200 after exercise. I do not eat junk food or drink ANY soda. It's like I work and work and it will not come off now.

Someone told me to veg out one day, eat what I want, then increase my exercise in the following days.

Any other suggestions?

I am wanting to see my "ideal" weight again and hit about 125, which is so close, yet seems so far away! Thanks!

Replies

  • beckaanne52
    beckaanne52 Posts: 35
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    I recently did the calculation at that weight to figure out 2lbs loss per week. I excluded working out because I wanted to see what just cals would take. This works for you since you are eating back cals.Eating 1200 cals I would need to burn out about 549 cals per day. (which would need to be dr monitored because the cal intake would be considered a very low cal diet. So assuming you stay at 1200 per day you would be working on a cal deficit daily of about 450/day. It takes 3500 deficit to lose 1 lb so about 8 to 9 days per lb, figuring water weight or retention or eating an extra 200 cals here or there I would expect you should see some weight loss in the next few days. It takes a long time because you are so close!!! Don't give up a lb at your weight is a much larger percentage of your body then a lb at 200 :) You can do this!
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Increase your calories. Your body needs fuel for your exercise. Your diary isn't public, so it's not like we can give you advice on that without seeing it, but with all that exercise make sure you're not netting below 1200. But yeah, I'd up the calories.

    Also, as you get closer to your goal weight, the harder it will be to lose. You might want to try heavy lifting too.
  • beckaanne52
    beckaanne52 Posts: 35
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    Ok because you are eating cals back (which is a good thing at this daily cal.) you are working on a cal deficit of about 250 to 450 per day. Doing the math at 3500 deficit to lose a lb you should see a lb come off every 8-16 days. I would expect you should see some loses in the next few days!
  • beckaanne52
    beckaanne52 Posts: 35
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    Sorry for two replies the first one showed as an error
  • smwooley
    smwooley Posts: 133 Member
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    First, congratulations!! It always comes off slower at the end. I would suggest upping your calories. Seems counter-intuitive, I know, but it works (usually!). Your body may be just trying to hold on to whatever fat it has left because you are eating at such low calories. Up them just a bit and see if that helps. Good luck!
  • crissyniko
    crissyniko Posts: 47 Member
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    I started April 1, 2013 also, but I have only lost 12 lbs...I have not lost anything or gained in 6 weeks. I am so frustrated...I was at 1200 per day and have recently upped my calorie goal to 1600 per day 2 weeks ago. Eat more to weigh less...we'll see...at least I haven't gained in the past 2 weeks by increasing the calories. Sorry I have no advice for you, just in the same "boat"...I'm looking forward to reading others advice
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
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    I'm at my goal weigh tof 110 pounds and I average 1550 calories of food per day with my relatively sedentary lifestyle (I'm considered "lightly active" by most accounts). I have maintained this weight since mid-June. That tells me that you probably need a few more calories per day to fuel your activities.

    And if you don't have much more to go, do NOT do a 2 pound per week loss - that's just asking for trouble. Go for 1/2 a pound per week once you're within 10 - 20 pounds of your goal. Yes, it's slower, but it keeps your metabolism at an even keel!!!
  • aNewCreation84
    aNewCreation84 Posts: 29
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    I've heard that sometimes your body gets used to the calories taken in... so I would change that up by increasing just a little bit. Of course, still exercise. But, if you eat too little, your body will begin to hoard what it has because it thinks it will starve.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Give it another 2 weeks. We all work differently, I know I typically only lose one week out of 4.
  • danalana1
    danalana1 Posts: 3
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    Thanks for the suggestions. I may try and increase my calories. I just get confused when some tell me to increase my calories, and others tell me to decrease and up my exercise. lol

    I may just be frustrated at the time because I really want to reach my goal. Even thought I am proud of how far I have come and feel a lot better than I did a few months ago.:)
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    2-3 weeks is not a plateau. Are you logging consistently? Is it possible there is overestimation of calorie burn or calories consumed?

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