gigantic plateau

sorr336
sorr336 Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started my diet over a year ago, on March 15 2012. I weighed 262 pounds (six feet tall) at the time. I set my calories at 1890 per day and exercised seven days a week. As you might guess, the weight fell off. By November of last year I was at 220 pounds. I gave myself a break over Christmas and, as expected, gained about six pounds.

At the new year I started again and have been exercising six days a week - then five days a week since June. I still keep my calorie intake at 1890 a day (or close to it). I'm not losing weight - at all! I have even started not recording my exercise calories lost to make certain that I'm not 'cheating' via portion control or nibbling while I cook. So, in effect, I'm actually getting about 1500 calories a day (1890 - 400 burned on the treadmill), but still not losing weight. I have gotten as low as 218, but now I'm back up to 222.

What can I do to jump start my weight loss? The 'charts' say I'm supposed to weight 165-175, but I'd be thrilled with 190-195. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    As you get closer to your goal weight, it's going to get slower. It also requires a much smaller deficit to lose weight healthily.

    I would strongly suggest moving your settings on MFP from 2lbs per week to 1lb per week. At 6ft tall, you're going to need to be netting more than 1500 calories a day.

    This means eating ALL of your goal calories as well as logging ALL of your exercise and eating those as well. (some exercises such as the elliptical is a little inflated on MFP, so eat 80% of those calories).

    I did a few calculations and at your current weight and height, you're basically trying to maintain a 1500 calorie deficit a day, which is extremely aggressive and should only be done under doctor supervision. If you were doing that all last year, there is a very good chance you lost a lot of lean muscle mass, thus lowering your over all metabolism.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    Change the intensity of your exercise first. Add weight, move faster, less rest between sets.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
    Hey there,

    Sounds like it could be your food logging? If you open your diary it'll be easier to tell. :-)
  • Jessica_D_Shadow
    Jessica_D_Shadow Posts: 138 Member
    I've noticed that if you spice up{change} what you've been doing. You're body should hopefully get out of it's rut. But, to help you out with that. I entered the information you provided here into the BMR calculator. http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/. Here are the results for 175lbs Goal Weight. {It did not suggest 165lbs, as a goal weight. I dunno}. :

    Activity Level Daily Calories
    Sedentary (little or no exercise, desk job) 2020
    Lightly Active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk) 2314
    Moderately Active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk) 2609
    Very Active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk) 2903
    Extremely Active (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2X day training, i.e marathon, contest etc.) 3198

    So, I mean as long as you are not cheating with logging, exercising to your full potential, and keeping under the calories listed you should be good. Just remember sometimes eating more can help a plateau, sometimes it doesn't. And by "more" I mean more than your daily goal, but less than your BMR calculations. Sometimes adding cardio instead of strength or vise versa. Anything to change up the normal routine and give your body a reason to change with you. Hope this helps.

    -Jessica
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    Overestimating burn or underestimating consumption.

    Sounds like you are nibbling and not logging exercise? Not sure how not logging one thing cancels not logging another thing.
  • sorr336
    sorr336 Posts: 3 Member
    Lots of good replies. By not logging exercising I'm not giving myself 'permission' to eat the calories I burned by exercising.

    My exercise routine is varied - I do treadmill for 30 minutes Monday thru Friday. I have the setting the highest it can go. That means 4 minutes of 4.2 mph followed by 1 minute of 6 mph - total of 30 minutes. On MWF I do the Planet Fitness 30 minute express workout which includes ten weight machines alternated with one minute cardio stair stepping. I don't even put the calories burned by that down.

    I'm in good shape. Other than a belly, I have decent body shape. I do have a desk job which keeps me grounded most of the week, but I spend most weekends working out in the yard, so I do get exercise outside of the gym.

    If I do "cheat" in my logging, it's certainly not intentional, and it's certainly not by much.

    In other words, I should be losing weight and I'm not. I appreciate all the replies.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Lots of good replies. By not logging exercising I'm not giving myself 'permission' to eat the calories I burned by exercising.

    My exercise routine is varied - I do treadmill for 30 minutes Monday thru Friday. I have the setting the highest it can go. That means 4 minutes of 4.2 mph followed by 1 minute of 6 mph - total of 30 minutes. On MWF I do the Planet Fitness 30 minute express workout which includes ten weight machines alternated with one minute cardio stair stepping. I don't even put the calories burned by that down.

    I'm in good shape. Other than a belly, I have decent body shape. I do have a desk job which keeps me grounded most of the week, but I spend most weekends working out in the yard, so I do get exercise outside of the gym.

    If I do "cheat" in my logging, it's certainly not intentional, and it's certainly not by much.

    In other words, I should be losing weight and I'm not. I appreciate all the replies.

    If you're weighing and measuring your food intake and are sure it's accurate, then consider actually logging and eating some of your exercise calories. If you're using the MFP goals you should already have been doing that.
  • jimshine
    jimshine Posts: 199 Member
    We are similar. I am 6' 2", currently 220 and MFP has me at 1500 calories a day right now. I walk 45 minutes a night averaging about 3.6 MPH (I have a issue with a leg, so I am not able to get the speed up much beyond that). I log those calories and often eat them back. I hit a plateau in the 230's. My weight didn't really budge for almost 2 months. There are a couple tweaks I have made and it seems to have gotten things back into gear. Here they are:

    1- I spent two weeks eating above my goal, but not exceeding my deficit. There were days I ate the amount said to be my maintenance number.
    2- It appears my walking may not be much of a challenge for my body anymore, so once or twice a week I do double. And still log it.
    3- I am only eating foods I am absolutely 100% certain of the calorie content.
    4- Beer had to go. Even though I logged it, it seemed to be slowing things down.

    I have once again gained traction, but it is slow going. I am getting close to my goal and I can already tell it will be slower than before. The bright side is these pounds are the most noticeable. I can see and feel each and every pound that goes away now.
  • sorr336
    sorr336 Posts: 3 Member
    Lots of good replies. By not logging exercising I'm not giving myself 'permission' to eat the calories I burned by exercising.

    My exercise routine is varied - I do treadmill for 30 minutes Monday thru Friday. I have the setting the highest it can go. That means 4 minutes of 4.2 mph followed by 1 minute of 6 mph - total of 30 minutes. On MWF I do the Planet Fitness 30 minute express workout which includes ten weight machines alternated with one minute cardio stair stepping. I don't even put the calories burned by that down.

    I'm in good shape. Other than a belly, I have decent body shape. I do have a desk job which keeps me grounded most of the week, but I spend most weekends working out in the yard, so I do get exercise outside of the gym.

    If I do "cheat" in my logging, it's certainly not intentional, and it's certainly not by much.

    In other words, I should be losing weight and I'm not. I appreciate all the replies.

    If you're weighing and measuring your food intake and are sure it's accurate, then consider actually logging and eating some of your exercise calories. If you're using the MFP goals you should already have been doing that.

    I did that at first - and had good results, but when I stopped losing weight - and it stagnated for months - I decided to 'ignore' the exercise calories - hoping that would push me to lose more weight. It ain't working!

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