Afraid... please talk me down...
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arnpjenn
Posts: 1,377 Member
Yes I'm another one of those "dieters" stuck on a plateau!
My story started over 10 years ago topping the scale at 313#. I started my success with WW but fast forward to getting married & having 2 kids (with gaining 90+ pounds with the combined pregnancy)....
Today I hover between 223-227. I haven't been able to get past 219-227# in over a year despite dedicated journaling via MFP. Yes, I have taken many mini-vaca's with the last one less than a month ago but I try to make the best choices possible. After reading Chris Powell's book on carb cycling, I started about 6 weeks ago & have been doing 2 low carb-1 high carb- 2 low carb- 1 high carb- followed by a Sunday cheat day.
I increased my calories from 1400 to 1700/1800ish about a month ago with no success.
I get in 2-3 days of cardio (HIT via elliptical or walk 4.0/jog 5.0) burning an average of 400calories/day
About a month ago I added in weights twice per week (heavy weights- not the Barbie barbells) on my non-cardio gym days.
Today I calculated my numbers using Heybals (?) worksheets...
BMR: 1622
TDEE 2572
TDEE -20%: 2058
Last week I increased my calories to around 2000-2100 per day (allowing myself a "cheat day" Sunday consuming closer to 3000).
I also took a break from the gym & stopped after getting in 2 days.
I also increased my protein to 170-200g on high protein days & 130ish on high carb days.
I lost 1.5#.
I'm in this for the long haul & would love nothing more than to see the scale move, accomplish my 100# weight loss & then trucking full force into onderland.
I've read many of the posts discussing resetting & those of us that have been in this longer may need to take a longer break. How do you know where and for how long? Should I continue at the TDEE -20% considering I had success there last week or do a full reset & shoot for my TDEE for a period? What about workouts? I've ready many stating taking a break from cardio during a reset but ok to lift weights...
Confused & afraid...
Thanks! Jennifer
My story started over 10 years ago topping the scale at 313#. I started my success with WW but fast forward to getting married & having 2 kids (with gaining 90+ pounds with the combined pregnancy)....
Today I hover between 223-227. I haven't been able to get past 219-227# in over a year despite dedicated journaling via MFP. Yes, I have taken many mini-vaca's with the last one less than a month ago but I try to make the best choices possible. After reading Chris Powell's book on carb cycling, I started about 6 weeks ago & have been doing 2 low carb-1 high carb- 2 low carb- 1 high carb- followed by a Sunday cheat day.
I increased my calories from 1400 to 1700/1800ish about a month ago with no success.
I get in 2-3 days of cardio (HIT via elliptical or walk 4.0/jog 5.0) burning an average of 400calories/day
About a month ago I added in weights twice per week (heavy weights- not the Barbie barbells) on my non-cardio gym days.
Today I calculated my numbers using Heybals (?) worksheets...
BMR: 1622
TDEE 2572
TDEE -20%: 2058
Last week I increased my calories to around 2000-2100 per day (allowing myself a "cheat day" Sunday consuming closer to 3000).
I also took a break from the gym & stopped after getting in 2 days.
I also increased my protein to 170-200g on high protein days & 130ish on high carb days.
I lost 1.5#.
I'm in this for the long haul & would love nothing more than to see the scale move, accomplish my 100# weight loss & then trucking full force into onderland.
I've read many of the posts discussing resetting & those of us that have been in this longer may need to take a longer break. How do you know where and for how long? Should I continue at the TDEE -20% considering I had success there last week or do a full reset & shoot for my TDEE for a period? What about workouts? I've ready many stating taking a break from cardio during a reset but ok to lift weights...
Confused & afraid...
Thanks! Jennifer
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Replies
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If you have been eating ~1700 and burning off ~400 calories a day with exercise, then you have been *way* under eating and netting only about 1300 calories a day. That is over 300 calories below your BMR (and you never want to net below your BMR...)
Sounds like you would really benefit from a full metabolic reset to get your metabolism revved back up to where it should be. You want to get it "reminded" of what normal is, before starting that cut. I would recommend easing your way up to TDEE and staying there for at least two months, and then go to your 15% cut.
If you do the reset, you can keep your exercise routine the same. The one thing you don't want to do is to add more cardio trying to burn off those extra calories. You want to get your body to trust you that it will be adequately fueled and no longer abused by under eating. (remember, your TDEE is based on the exercise you have input to get that number, so you don't want to change that...)
Limiting the cardio to 2 - 3 day of HIIT a week is great, and congrats on the lifting! That has been the secret weapon for me (and many others!)
Also, I have had a little bit of experience with those "cheat days" and they did not work for me! I know that does work for lots of people, but in my case those days just turned into Junk Fests where I ate things I had been craving all week. Even though my calories all balanced out mathematically over the course of the week, I never lost weight while doing that. No idea why, but the weight started falling back off as soon as I quit that routine... Also, at this stage of the game, the consistency might help...0 -
I have spent the past six months trying to convince myself I did not need to reset. I upped my calories slowly and stuck at my TDEE - 20%. I have lost and gained the same 2 - 3 pounds. When I felt myself getting sucked back into the "just cut more calories" mode, I took a hard look at myself and decided I needed a reset (physically and emotionally). I wish I would have started the reset last December when I found this group.
We don't want to believe we need a reset because it is so scary to eat at TDEE. I agree with Anitra and recommend the reset. You deserve it!0 -
^^^ Yep, consider it an investment in yourself!0
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Thank you for your input.
So, just to clairfy... with the TDEE Halbales spreadsheet accounting for my present activity... I want to shoot to consume around 2500 for the next 6-8 weeks? What happens if I can't get to the gym? Or on the weekends? With scooby's worksheet, calculated my TDEE 2112 with no activity? (which makes sense considering the 400 burn at the gym).
After reading MANY of discussions on here- I do think you are correct in recommending a reset. Now just to get my head in the "I'll be stuck here for the next 2 months"....
Also- you are correct with Sundays being junk-feasted! It did help the cravings during the week with being on a restricted program but.... I questioned if I was doing the right thing these past 2 weeks....
Thanks again!0 -
Thank you for your input.
So, just to clairfy... with the TDEE Halbales spreadsheet accounting for my present activity... I want to shoot to consume around 2500 for the next 6-8 weeks? What happens if I can't get to the gym? Or on the weekends? With scooby's worksheet, calculated my TDEE 2112 with no activity? (which makes sense considering the 400 burn at the gym).
After reading MANY of discussions on here- I do think you are correct in recommending a reset. Now just to get my head in the "I'll be stuck here for the next 2 months"....
Also- you are correct with Sundays being junk-feasted! It did help the cravings during the week with being on a restricted program but.... I questioned if I was doing the right thing these past 2 weeks....
Thanks again!
When you figure out your TDEE, you use your projected or real exercise over the course of the week. Just add up your exercise for the week (including rest days, etc). If you miss an exercise day every once in a while, it's not a big deal, but if you consistently miss them week after week, then you may want to re-run your numbers at that lower level.
Also, don't think of it as being "stuck at TDEE for the next 2 months" --- enjoy it! Enjoy eating and the new-found energy you will have for your workouts! I used to be scared of eating at TDEE, and now I love every second of it! :-D
I know what you mean about those "cheat days" -- for whatever reason, they really seemed to slow down my progress. Maybe just try to work a couple of nice treats into each day rather than cramming them all into one day. Plan a couple of portion-controlled goodies into your diary and enjoy them! That should help to reduce those cravings...
You are going to do great!0 -
"Now just to get my head in the "I'll be stuck here for the next 2 months".... "
Think of it this way, you didn't get here in a day, a week, a month, or a year. So why would you think you can get back in such a short timeframe. While you're on this leveling (I hate the term resetting), think of other things you can do for yourself. I have begun studying for my personal training certification, trying new workouts, enjoying time with family, etc. What I realized was stress (and cortisol) were more of an issue for me because I was so focused on what the scale said. I've begun focusing on things that matter more (e.g., waist/hip ratio).
You're doing great, keep moving forward!0 -
Under Your Results in the spreadsheet are some guidelines.
If you miss an hour workout, skip 100 calories that day. If you make it up, eat 100 more that day.
If you add a totally new workout not planned on in TDEE estimate, eat back those calories.
So some workout that happens 2 x a month usually, don't plan on it, just eat it back if it really happens.
If it was walking the dog for 60 min, but it's 4 or 5 times a week and that varies, than 4.5 x 60 should be used, 270 min walking.
Or you always get a lunch walk in, but it's 30 to 60 min varies, then 5 x 45 should be used, 225 minutes.
Those are close enough.
The only time where it matters with big variables if training for endurance race, and you have 2 x 4 hr rides a month, otherwise 1 hr rides. In case of something like that, keep the 1 hr time for each week, but when you do the 4 hr ride, eat back the 3 hrs worth of the workout that day.0
