How to break a plateau... EAT MORE!!! Scary, I know...

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AJCM
AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
in Success Stories
I have complained much, as of late, about a plateau...

I was stuck for 5 weeks, then I ATE MORE (I know, cringe) and I lost 2lbs! I went from eating about 1200 a day for the past three months, to eating 1700 daily, and exericsing at least once daily.

Last week I was at the cottage, and was an eating machine, I mean I stopped counting calories around the 1800/2000 mark and figured "To h--- with it!". Most foods were healthy, and portions were small-ish, but we did ice cream, chips, chocolate covered almonds, etc (cringe again). There was also lots of swimming, walks, and fresh air.

I come home, and I've lost an lb?!?! How is that possible???

So ladies and gents, EAT MORE CALORIES if you are stuck. I know it's scary, but IT WORKS!!!!
:flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
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    I have complained much, as of late, about a plateau...

    I was stuck for 5 weeks, then I ATE MORE (I know, cringe) and I lost 2lbs! I went from eating about 1200 a day for the past three months, to eating 1700 daily, and exericsing at least once daily.

    Last week I was at the cottage, and was an eating machine, I mean I stopped counting calories around the 1800/2000 mark and figured "To h--- with it!". Most foods were healthy, and portions were small-ish, but we did ice cream, chips, chocolate covered almonds, etc (cringe again). There was also lots of swimming, walks, and fresh air.

    I come home, and I've lost an lb?!?! How is that possible???

    So ladies and gents, EAT MORE CALORIES if you are stuck. I know it's scary, but IT WORKS!!!!
    :flowerforyou:
  • Mireille
    Mireille Posts: 5,134 Member
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    That's amazing!!!

    What a good example that we need not starve ourselves to lose weight.

    Way to go!!
    Mireille
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
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    That's amazing!!!

    What a good example that we need not starve ourselves to lose weight.

    Way to go!!
    Mireille

    Thanks Mireille! I still don't believe it - I'm a natural "chubster" so it's just so exciting!
    :flowerforyou:
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    what's your deficit now AJ? I know you are close to your goal, and you look great from your pictures, from what I can see if you are eating more then 300 below maintenance, then I could see you hitting a plateau easilly.
  • TravisF
    TravisF Posts: 3
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    The same happened to me I was stuck for over a month and changed my diet to the p90x diet. I added 1k calories to my diet and started losing again.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
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    what's your deficit now AJ? I know you are close to your goal, and you look great from your pictures, from what I can see if you are eating more then 300 below maintenance, then I could see you hitting a plateau easilly.

    BANKS!!! Your advice paid off! :flowerforyou:

    So, at the cottage, I EASILY ate over 2000 a day (BMR + active lifestyle = 1700 + 500 extra exercise calories average = 2200 burned daily). I guess I pretty much ate my maintenace calories, and lost a pound. Thoughts?

    So what do you think I should be eating now? Still creating a 500 cal deficit? I was creating a 1000 cal daily deficit and not losing anything! I basically never felt full, but never stopped eating!
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    what's your deficit now AJ? I know you are close to your goal, and you look great from your pictures, from what I can see if you are eating more then 300 below maintenance, then I could see you hitting a plateau easilly.

    BANKS!!! Your advice paid off! :flowerforyou:

    So, at the cottage, I EASILY ate over 2000 a day (BMR + active lifestyle = 1700 + 500 extra exercise calories average = 2200 burned daily). I guess I pretty much ate my maintenace calories, and lost a pound. Thoughts?

    So what do you think I should be eating now? Still creating a 500 cal deficit? I was creating a 1000 cal daily deficit and not losing anything! I basically never felt full, but never stopped eating!

    1000 cals is crazy IMHO. You have what...3 - 6 lbs to lose at most? 200 to 300 cal deficit would be where I would be. It will take 2 or 3 months to lose the rest, but really, considering you only have a few to lose, why rush it. You will be the only one who notices 3 lbs. Trust me. As a matter of fact, that's where I am now, i've lost 1 lb in about the last month, and happy to do it, cuz I am just about at maintenance and I don't really care whether I lose any more or not, I just want to ripple up the ole stomach.
  • banks1850
    banks1850 Posts: 3,475 Member
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    Oh, and Congrats! You are doing AWESOME! :happy:
  • divalovesyou1
    divalovesyou1 Posts: 139
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    Thanks AJCM!!:bigsmile:

    This is great advice!! I'm also at a stand still in my dieting and I've reached my plateau. So, I thought that I needed to increase my exercise time and eat more healthier stuff! I will definetly give this a try!!!

    :flowerforyou:
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    I've personally never done the 1200 calorie thing. Granted, I started out at 270 lbs and am down to 171 now....but as of now my BMR is around 1482 calories. On days I don't work out, I eat around 1400-1450 calories and days I do work out and burn around 750 calories, I will eat around 1700-1800 and while I have maintains here and there, overall I have lost very regularly and steadily (99 lbs in about 10 months).....so, if that isn't proof that 1200 calories is only a "guideline", then I don't know what is! :):wink:
  • LML79
    LML79 Posts: 697
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    great job! I think you look awesome!I am still stuck in plateau mode..for over a month now. I'm not gaining weight so thats good.. I started this as a die-hard..working out every day from 45-60 minutes.. eating only my 1200 cals.... but I think I burned myself out. Once my son got sick and was in and out of the hospital ...not working out and eating hospital food threw me for a loop! Now everything is fine..and still I am low energy..I didn't even realize it and went a full week without hitting the treadmill. Now I'm slowly working back to it..right now doing only 25 minutes..and eating between 1400-1600 cals a day. I'm hoping to snap out of this funk I am in soon! I know I won't gain weight so long as I don't eat over my 1800 maintainence weight but I am also no where near my goal weight !!
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    great job! I think you look awesome!I am still stuck in plateau mode..for over a month now. I'm not gaining weight so thats good.. I started this as a die-hard..working out every day from 45-60 minutes.. eating only my 1200 cals.... but I think I burned myself out. Once my son got sick and was in and out of the hospital ...not working out and eating hospital food threw me for a loop! Now everything is fine..and still I am low energy..I didn't even realize it and went a full week without hitting the treadmill. Now I'm slowly working back to it..right now doing only 25 minutes..and eating between 1400-1600 cals a day. I'm hoping to snap out of this funk I am in soon! I know I won't gain weight so long as I don't eat over my 1800 maintainence weight but I am also no where near my goal weight !!

    Thanks!

    It's hard when you are going through a lot! Just hang in there! Sometimes it's just too much to focus on everything going on in LIFE as well as trying to lose weight. It's a HUGE burden sometimes. You are doing great!! And you will get to your goal! It's only a matter of WHEN, not IF! :)

    I hear what you're saying about burning yourself out! That is why I haven't gone to 1200 calories. I've tried to give myself room to bump things a bit should I need to. So, if I hit a long plateau, I have room to drop another 50 cals..or add another level or another 5 min to my cardio to rev things up a bit. I think that is a HUGE lesson many people need to learn. The fact of the matter is that as long as you are eating less than your maintenance calories and exercising, you WILL lose weight! Even if your body doesn't cooperate sometimes.....it will EVENTUALLY add up!
  • mommared53
    mommared53 Posts: 9,543 Member
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    That does sound weird but it works. I was at a plateau recently so I upped my calories slightly and lost another pound or two. Good job. Keep up the good work. :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
  • kimber607
    kimber607 Posts: 7,128 Member
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    Hi

    Sounds good to me!
    BTW, you look great in the pic :)

    Kim
  • sunshine92
    sunshine92 Posts: 228 Member
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    [/quote]

    Thanks Mireille! I still don't believe it - I'm a natural "chubster" so it's just so exciting!
    :flowerforyou:
    [/quote]
    you dont look chubby at all girl! you look great!
  • carvan
    carvan Posts: 377 Member
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    many people advocate cycling your calories. This means that you eat your 1200 for a few days, then bump them up to about 600. Keeps your metabolism thinking, doesn't let it slow down. Scary though!
  • shellyws
    shellyws Posts: 33 Member
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    what's your deficit now AJ? I know you are close to your goal, and you look great from your pictures, from what I can see if you are eating more then 300 below maintenance, then I could see you hitting a plateau easilly.


    Sorry if this is repetative but I have no clue what you mean by this banks. Can you explain?
  • ladywalkalot
    ladywalkalot Posts: 230 Member
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    this very thought has been in my head! I am at a plateau......i need to eat more but it is scary....you just don't want it to show up the wrong way on the scale....but because it's worked for all you....I'm going to give it a go.....
    Healthier more calories for a couple days, then back it down....and increasing intensity of exercise!

    AND not worrying about it so much.......negative brain power holds onto lbs!!!
  • TravisF
    TravisF Posts: 3
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    The reason as I understand that it works to add calories and lose weight is your body goes into a starvation mode when you work out but don't get enough calories it needs so it holds the fat instead of burning it first so it can be used later when you need it. So your body starts storing fat instead of burning it. when you add the healthy calories it knows it will have plenty so it can burn them at max efficiency.
  • AJCM
    AJCM Posts: 2,169 Member
    Options
    what's your deficit now AJ? I know you are close to your goal, and you look great from your pictures, from what I can see if you are eating more then 300 below maintenance, then I could see you hitting a plateau easilly.

    BANKS!!! Your advice paid off! :flowerforyou:

    So, at the cottage, I EASILY ate over 2000 a day (BMR + active lifestyle = 1700 + 500 extra exercise calories average = 2200 burned daily). I guess I pretty much ate my maintenace calories, and lost a pound. Thoughts?

    So what do you think I should be eating now? Still creating a 500 cal deficit? I was creating a 1000 cal daily deficit and not losing anything! I basically never felt full, but never stopped eating!

    1000 cals is crazy IMHO. You have what...3 - 6 lbs to lose at most? 200 to 300 cal deficit would be where I would be. It will take 2 or 3 months to lose the rest, but really, considering you only have a few to lose, why rush it. You will be the only one who notices 3 lbs. Trust me. As a matter of fact, that's where I am now, i've lost 1 lb in about the last month, and happy to do it, cuz I am just about at maintenance and I don't really care whether I lose any more or not, I just want to ripple up the ole stomach.

    Thanks for the info and support! I'm with you - anything that comes off now is gravy, but I would be happy to stay here. I will never be skinny, but I don't think that interests me anymore anyway!

    Good luck on rippin' your abs - your probably more ripped than you think...
    :smile:

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