Stuck at 135lbs for 4 months

emilymayzes
emilymayzes Posts: 19
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been stuck wavering between 135-140lbs for the past 4 months, and I am really starting to get frustrated. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Before, I lost 20+lbs fairly easily, but now the loss has just stopped. I eat very healthy (my diary is open) and I exercise hard 6 times a week. Every day I usually do an Insanity Workout, insanity Abs, 10 minutes on the Elliptical, 150 squats, 20 minutes Arms and 10 minutes Butt&Thighs. This gives me a burn of around 500-700 calories (I use a polar heart rate monitor).

Anybody have any ideas on what I could do to start losing again? Any advice is much appreciated.
Thanks

Replies

  • JuliMagenta
    JuliMagenta Posts: 79 Member
    Do you see any differences? I mean, you exercise a lot, so maybe your building muscle and with that you usually "gain" lots of water weight.

    Just an idea: Maybe your scale is not changing, but your body might. :)
  • emilymayzes
    emilymayzes Posts: 19
    I forgot to add that I am 5'9, and I started around 160lbs.
  • melissaka7
    melissaka7 Posts: 277 Member
    Maybe change up your work out?
  • emilymayzes
    emilymayzes Posts: 19
    I have noticed my arms are toning up more, but I think my stomach and thighs have actually gotten LESS toned than during the summer, where I was doing about half the amount of exercise I am now.
  • jlapey
    jlapey Posts: 1,850 Member
    Over the past year, I have lost maybe 2 pounds. BUT, I also lost 2 pant sizes.. "Weight" isn't everything.
  • nellyett
    nellyett Posts: 436 Member
    After plateauing for quite a while after I'd found MFP and lost on the recommended 1200 cals per day, what worked for me was to INCREASE my net calories based on a TDEE calculator. As soon as I increased my NET from 1200 cals per day to 1500 cals per day, the scale started to move and my bodyfat % started to decrease. I always ate back my exercise cals. My body realized that there would always be fuel for the strenuous workouts I was doing and started to release the stored fat again. I was averaging a loss of about 1 lb per week and not feeling deprived at all.

    I've since quit smoking and have gained some back, but am working on building as much lean muscle mass as I can and lower body fat %. I don't really care what the scale says anymore :)
  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
    well from looking at your diary..you probably need to eat more. also if your body composition is changing ..thats a good thing. for instance..i am theoretically 5 pounds heavier than my lowest weight...but am a size smaller..I would rather change my body comp ..than lose weight..if that makes sense..
  • Fridaklo77
    Fridaklo77 Posts: 124
    Im kind of in the same boat, but you are way lighter than me lucky you :) From what I have read, we have to trick our bodies to let go of the storage / fat, carbs etc. So perhaps one day, you can consume a little more and the next day get back into the logging and then cardio, run a little longer, lift a little more. Good Luck!
  • gmhaggie06
    gmhaggie06 Posts: 207
    I'm not a girl, a nutritionist or a trainer BUT isn't 5'9" 135-140 like a fantastic weight? Your BMI looks to be around 19.9 which is at the low end of "healthy weight" and if you've got a lot of muscle from working out, you could be butting up against essential fat and your body isn't wanting to let it go.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    135 lbs at 5/9" is a great healthy weight. Stop obsessing with a number on the scale. Focus on body composition. Hit the weights - HARD. 150 squats is impressive but.....to really make a change focus on low reps and heavy weights.
  • FitFLNana
    FitFLNana Posts: 11 Member
    I am certainly no expert - but after looking at your diary - I'd say you need to eat more protein and work out with some weights. Try to build some muscle instead of just doing cardio!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    You're at the LOW end of a healthy weight range.

    Stop trying to force your body to lose more weight. It needs some fat to function properly.

    Start lifting heavy stuff and putting it back down if you are looking for a different "look," but your BMI is in the 19-20 range.

    You don't need to lose any more weight - and your body is telling you this.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    After plateauing for quite a while after I'd found MFP and lost on the recommended 1200 cals per day, what worked for me was to INCREASE my net calories based on a TDEE calculator. As soon as I increased my NET from 1200 cals per day to 1500 cals per day, the scale started to move and my bodyfat % started to decrease. I always ate back my exercise cals. My body realized that there would always be fuel for the strenuous workouts I was doing and started to release the stored fat again. I was averaging a loss of about 1 lb per week and not feeling deprived at all.

    I've since quit smoking and have gained some back, but am working on building as much lean muscle mass as I can and lower body fat %. I don't really care what the scale says anymore :)

    Perfectly said. I'm eating close to maintainance andf losing at 2400 calories, I'm 4 inches shorter than you and a few pounds lighter, but you work out WAY more than I do. Your body needs fuel. And if you're unhappy with what's in the mirror, reduce your cardio and lift some heavy stuff.)
  • verdemujer
    verdemujer Posts: 1,397 Member
    I agree with most of these posters. You don't seem to be eating enough, more protein - real protein like chicken (not the shakes), whole eggs - nothing wrong with more fat, a few less bread carbs and more veggie/fruit carbs. At 5'9", a 140 is a great weight. Throw out the scale, take your body measurements and focus on muscle development. I wish I'd had someone to tell me this when I was 19.
  • _Calypso_
    _Calypso_ Posts: 1,074 Member
    I forgot to add that I am 5'9, and I started around 160lbs.

    You're 5'9" and 135.... you are at a weight your body likes. You are at a very healthy weight (lower end for your height).

    In my opinion, I'd really stop worrying about the number on the scale and concentrate on the way your body looks....leaner, less BF, more muscle definition.

    I am 5'9" and my UGW was 135...I made it but I was just skinny. I gained weight and actually went down another pant size.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    After plateauing for quite a while after I'd found MFP and lost on the recommended 1200 cals per day, what worked for me was to INCREASE my net calories based on a TDEE calculator. As soon as I increased my NET from 1200 cals per day to 1500 cals per day, the scale started to move and my bodyfat % started to decrease. I always ate back my exercise cals. My body realized that there would always be fuel for the strenuous workouts I was doing and started to release the stored fat again. I was averaging a loss of about 1 lb per week and not feeling deprived at all.

    I've since quit smoking and have gained some back, but am working on building as much lean muscle mass as I can and lower body fat %. I don't really care what the scale says anymore :)

    That's not how 'eating more to weight less' means. Your body does not hold onto stored fats because of a calorie deficit. You may have been retaining water. Plateaus are plateaus only of they last more than a month (I believe). You would have started losing again. But certainly, if you are losing on 1500 and feel better, that's awesome.
  • emilymayzes
    emilymayzes Posts: 19
    Thanks for all your advice guys. I know people say you shouldn't depend on the scale, but I also measure myself every month, and I have not lost any inches. And for people saying that 135 is already on the low side of a healthy weight, I know that, but I still have about 5 pounds of fat that I would like to lose. Then I would like to put on some muscle, so I'll take your guys' advice about starting to lift and do less cardio. I have ordered "P90X" from beachbody which is supposed to help put on muscle?
  • emilymayzes
    emilymayzes Posts: 19
    If I were to start eating more calories, how would you guys reccomend I go about it? Gradually add 50 calories a day? 200? What kind of food should these calories be? Fruit? Veggies?

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