Weight Loss Plateau

djemberhythm
djemberhythm Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost ~20 pounds since January, and 5 lbs since I joined my fitness pal. I joined MFP months ago, and it's taken forever to loose those gnarly 5 pounds.

I have 5-10 pounds more to go. ideally.

Anyway, I haven't lost a good amount of weight in a long time. and I'm wondering why.
My activity level is more than at the time that I lost the first 20 lbs, and I'm also consuming less calories, so you would think that I would drop weight even faster.

My exercise is mainly aerobics, typically at LEAST 30 minutes a day. With strength and stretching to compliment the cardio.
I rarely eat carbs like bread, chips, and my sugar primarily comes from fruits. I don't drink any flavored beverages (besides unsweetened green and black tea), including alcohol. I eat three balanced meals a day. Generally a protein shake or meal powder from herbalife in the morning. For lunch I try to do a couple slices of deli turkey meat, massive bowl of spinach with only balsamic for dressing, and fruits that are on sale at the grocery store. For dinner, I either snack on vegetables, or have another light meal like I had for lunch.

Snacks included fresh veggies, fruits, granola, pickles, olives etc.
Basically, I'm trying the paleo lifestyle.
YET, I have seen very little if any weight loss.

I'm really confused on what I should do.
Is it just not possible to weigh less without starving myself, (which I will never do)?
I am 5'4 and 1/2 and currently stuck at 125. If I were to take an educated guess, my fat % is probably around 20-21%. I want to get to 18-19.

Replies

  • JustYandy
    JustYandy Posts: 221 Member
    You can be the same weight and lower your body fat.Remember it takes 5 weeks to lose 1 lb of pure fat and 6weeks to gain 1 lb of muscle.Is there a reason to be a certain body fat %
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    This is not going to help much but I am an inch shorter and would like to achieve 140. I wonder if you are trying to attain the unattainable. this is not scour grapes I promise you.

    Toning up might be where to go. Hope all goes well with you
  • JustYandy
    JustYandy Posts: 221 Member
    I lost very little but lost 6 body fat% in a couple of months
  • djemberhythm
    djemberhythm Posts: 9
    Ah alright. I didn't know it took that long to loose 1lb of fat!
    As for the percentage, I eventually want to get into some type of fitness career, whether that be modeling or physical training. I hope to get there within the next year. I was under the impression that a %of 18 is healthy, and could boost that type of career choice.
  • nohaynicknamesdisponibles
    nohaynicknamesdisponibles Posts: 94 Member
    A body can get used to workouts, I was stuck for 12 days on 100kg [220lbs], I changed my workout routines and started to lose weight again since then.
  • djemberhythm
    djemberhythm Posts: 9
    Hmm, good point. I'll switch it when I exercise tomorrow.
  • nohaynicknamesdisponibles
    nohaynicknamesdisponibles Posts: 94 Member
    Ah alright. I didn't know it took that long to loose 1lb of fat!
    As for the percentage, I eventually want to get into some type of fitness career, whether that be modeling or physical training. I hope to get there within the next year. I was under the impression that a %of 18 is healthy, and could boost that type of career choice.
    This is not correct; I'm 55 days here and have lost 8.23 kilos so far and this wasn't water.
  • jeroenvandijken
    jeroenvandijken Posts: 18
    take a diet break, eating 2-4 weeks around maintenance will do the trick!
  • 00NL
    00NL Posts: 171 Member
    check you calories total
    and shake up your exercise :)
  • djemberhythm
    djemberhythm Posts: 9
    take a diet break, eating 2-4 weeks around maintenance will do the trick!

    In time for holidays?! I'd better be careful with this! :)




    But thank you everyone. I will try all of your suggestions one at a time, and see which one works. I guess it will take time, but hey, at least I won't gain weight while doing them.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    The closer you get to a goal weight, the slower the pounds will come off. Calorie deficit for weight loss and exercise for fitness. If you are not losing weight, there is a miscalculation somewhere along the line. Do you weigh everything? Do you log accurately? Did you readjust your goals after losing the weight? Would you be willing to open your diary? You do not need to "starve" to lose weight. If you set reasonable goals and be patient, there is no reason that you cannot reach your goal. In addition, you can still eat carbs or any other item (assuming there is no medical condition) and still lose weight. (Calorie surplus=weight gain, not the types of foods you eat)
  • JustYandy
    JustYandy Posts: 221 Member
    Ah alright. I didn't know it took that long to loose 1lb of fat!
    As for the percentage, I eventually want to get into some type of fitness career, whether that be modeling or physical training. I hope to get there within the next year. I was under the impression that a %of 18 is healthy, and could boost that type of career choice.
    This is not correct; I'm 55 days here and have lost 8.23 kilos so far and this wasn't water.

    Thats what my fitness instructor told me.You can lose lean muscle losing fast
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    I've lost ~20 pounds since January, and 5 lbs since I joined my fitness pal. I joined MFP months ago, and it's taken forever to loose those gnarly 5 pounds.

    I have 5-10 pounds more to go. ideally.

    Anyway, I haven't lost a good amount of weight in a long time. and I'm wondering why.
    My activity level is more than at the time that I lost the first 20 lbs, and I'm also consuming less calories, so you would think that I would drop weight even faster.

    My exercise is mainly aerobics, typically at LEAST 30 minutes a day. With strength and stretching to compliment the cardio.
    I rarely eat carbs like bread, chips, and my sugar primarily comes from fruits. I don't drink any flavored beverages (besides unsweetened green and black tea), including alcohol. I eat three balanced meals a day. Generally a protein shake or meal powder from herbalife in the morning. For lunch I try to do a couple slices of deli turkey meat, massive bowl of spinach with only balsamic for dressing, and fruits that are on sale at the grocery store. For dinner, I either snack on vegetables, or have another light meal like I had for lunch.

    Snacks included fresh veggies, fruits, granola, pickles, olives etc.
    Basically, I'm trying the paleo lifestyle.
    YET, I have seen very little if any weight loss.

    I'm really confused on what I should do.
    Is it just not possible to weigh less without starving myself, (which I will never do)?
    I am 5'4 and 1/2 and currently stuck at 125. If I were to take an educated guess, my fat % is probably around 20-21%. I want to get to 18-19.

    You are missing things off your diary. There can be no other explanation. Carbs arent bad by the way. As long as calories are down it shouldnt matter.
  • cfredz
    cfredz Posts: 292 Member
    I lost very little but lost 6 body fat% in a couple of months

    howd you do that?
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Ah alright. I didn't know it took that long to loose 1lb of fat!
    As for the percentage, I eventually want to get into some type of fitness career, whether that be modeling or physical training. I hope to get there within the next year. I was under the impression that a %of 18 is healthy, and could boost that type of career choice.
    This is not correct; I'm 55 days here and have lost 8.23 kilos so far and this wasn't water.

    Thats what my fitness instructor told me.You can lose lean muscle losing fast

    Your fitness instructor is wrong. It takes a reduction in calories of 3500 calories to lose 1 lb. It can be a week, a month, or a year. Now, generally when you lose weight, it's a combination of fat, muscle, fibers, water, etc.. but with protein and resistance training you can mitigate the lean body mass lost.

    With that said, OP, how many calories are you eating? Do you use a food scale to measure food? And can you open your diary so we can look at the macro breakdown and consistency?

    One suggestion, drop the cardio and increase weight training. You will see a lot better results when a little cardio compliments weight training.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    I lost very little but lost 6 body fat% in a couple of months

    howd you do that?

    More like, how was that measured?
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    You aren't eating enough, you are starving your body if you have a light snack for dinner.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    You aren't eating enough, you are starving your body if you have a light snack for dinner.

    Did I miss something? Did OP make her diary public?

    :noway:
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    You aren't eating enough, you are starving your body if you have a light snack for dinner.

    Did I miss something? Did OP make her diary public?

    :noway:
    no but she said she eats vegetables, or a light meal for dinner, and gave us a breakdown of what she usually eats.
    Based on what she told us, she's not eating nearly enough, so of course she's at a plateau. Her body is starving for food.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    Also, wanted to mention, the body burns carbs before fats, and proteins. So if you are eating a large quantity of simple carbs, your body will burn those first during exercise, then move on to the fat only when it runs out of carbs to burn. So no, carbs aren't "bad" if you don't eat a lot of simple carbs. But if you are trying to lose fat, it is going to be a lot harder to do so while also eating a lot of simple carbs.
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
    You aren't eating enough, you are starving your body if you have a light snack for dinner.

    bingo! what she said.
    your metabolism went down.
    eat anything as long as it fits your macros/calories via MFP
    eat those good carbs and good fats so your metabolism kicks in again
    on workout days - eat more
    on rest days - eat less
    on cheat days - enjoy to eat more but dont binge
  • kagevf
    kagevf Posts: 509 Member
    Also, wanted to mention, the body burns carbs before fats, and proteins. So if you are eating a large quantity of simple carbs, your body will burn those first during exercise, then move on to the fat only when it runs out of carbs to burn. So no, carbs aren't "bad" if you don't eat a lot of simple carbs. But if you are trying to lose fat, it is going to be a lot harder to do so while also eating a lot of simple carbs.

    exactly!
    i should just shut up.
  • sweetpea03b
    sweetpea03b Posts: 1,123 Member
    Pretty much in line with what everyone is saying here... maybe get your way up to maintenance... don't worry about the weight... but really try to concentrate on replacing fat with muscle.... lift.
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    It sounds like you are making things way more difficult on yourself then you need to.... It really doesn't sound like you are eating enough, but without seeing your actual diary and calorie goals vs actual intake nobody here can tell for sure.

    I will say, go to this link http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

    Sarah and SideSteel really put things out there, and are available to help.

    Best of luck to you. :drinker:
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    You aren't eating enough, you are starving your body if you have a light snack for dinner.

    Did I miss something? Did OP make her diary public?

    :noway:
    no but she said she eats vegetables, or a light meal for dinner, and gave us a breakdown of what she usually eats.
    Based on what she told us, she's not eating nearly enough, so of course she's at a plateau. Her body is starving for food.

    It is physically impossible to not lose weight at a calorie deficit PERIOD. If she is plateauing, she does not have a deficit going. That is why I asked how she is measuring her food.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Also, wanted to mention, the body burns carbs before fats, and proteins. So if you are eating a large quantity of simple carbs, your body will burn those first during exercise, then move on to the fat only when it runs out of carbs to burn. So no, carbs aren't "bad" if you don't eat a lot of simple carbs. But if you are trying to lose fat, it is going to be a lot harder to do so while also eating a lot of simple carbs.

    exactly!
    i should just shut up.

    She should be hitting her macros to lose weight, not worrying about eating 'too many carbs'. Too many carbs relative to what? We don't know, because her diary is not posted.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Also, wanted to mention, the body burns carbs before fats, and proteins. So if you are eating a large quantity of simple carbs, your body will burn those first during exercise, then move on to the fat only when it runs out of carbs to burn. So no, carbs aren't "bad" if you don't eat a lot of simple carbs. But if you are trying to lose fat, it is going to be a lot harder to do so while also eating a lot of simple carbs.

    exactly!
    i should just shut up.

    She should be hitting her macros to lose weight, not worrying about eating 'too many carbs'. Too many carbs relative to what? We don't know, because her diary is not posted.

    Exactly.. you can lose fat while eating lots of carbs.. I average 250-300 and it doesn't prevent my fat loss.

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