Plateauing for weeks now

Hi,

Sounds like you're doing all the right things! Keep up the good work and yeah, I'd throw a 'cheat meal' in there a couple times a month. Doesn't hurt to shake things up and keep the metabolism guessing! Sleep is a good thing too

Best Wishes to you!

Plateauing for 2 years now

At your height and weight, your BMR is a bit over 1430 if you do nothing all day but survive. Add in an activity factor and exercise calories, you're at least 20% higher than that. If you want to lose weight, and have over 13% body fat (your BMI says you are), if you eat under your BMR your body will use fat stores for energy. That is what it does.

If you plateau, it is most likely that you are eating at maintenance levels (despite your best measuring). When I was trying to cut 0.5 lb/week (250 cal/day deficit), I ended up losing 1.5 lb/week (750 cal/day deficit)... Counting calories are estimates, and while we do our best, the scale will tell the truth. If you are not losing fat, you are not eating at a deficit. Cut 250 calories/day more (0.5 lb/week) and see if your scale starts moving again.

As long as you have stored fat over essential fat (10% to 13% for women), you will not harm yourself by eating at a deficit below your BMR. If you eat nothing for days, you'll start to harm your body.

Also, eat back your exercise calories. If your goal is 1200 cal/day (for example), and you run 30 minutes and burn 300 calories, eat and enjoy those calories back (eat 1500 cal that day). You'll still be at a deficit. The 1200 cal/day "goal" does not account for cardio you do in addition to your normal day.

Good luck! You can do it!

Hi everybody


For the longest time I was stuck in that 1200 cals per day rut until I came across a lovely lady on here who helped me and explained that I needed to up my calories. It came with fear because before that on and off I struggled with ED behaviours. However after 2 weeks the scale showed a loss and I couldn't have been happier - all my efforts were working for once!

Currently I am running 30 mins 3-5 times per week (maybe 1-2days I won't run and will do workout in my room) eating clean I suppose as best I can , avoiding all cheat meals and staying in my 1500 cals per day.

At 5ft 3 and 59kg (18yrs old) I'm quiet 'chunky'. I've been plateauing for weeks on end now. I don't believe I need to increase my intake as 30-40 mins exercise 3-5 days a week is all I do, I'm just getting a bit bummed out that I'm giving it alot of effort, weighing everything, calculating everything, and nothing!
I will be trying to change up meals (but apparently this doesn't really help?) and trying to get more sleep.
Do you think a cheat meal might get the ball rolling again? I always feel aweful after one and as much as I haven't had rocky road in years , it doesn't change the fact for me that eating it is making me stray even further away from my goals.

Pleaseeeeeeeeee help me, and advice or tips is greatly appreciated.

You are doing a lot of cardio, have you thought about some strength training?

If you have been dieting for a genuinely long period of time (not just the 'omg I have been doing this for 3 whole weeks and this is like forever') and you are not getting anywhere, something is wrong with the math. Maybe open your diary, if you want some more detailed advice.

Realistically though you might want to look at your behaviour regarding food in general. Take a break over the holiday period and have a think why you want to lose the weight in the first place. And lastly, you are only 18 years old, so go and have some rocky road for goodness sake.