Weightloss plateau after 38 kg

Hi guys.
I've been through a looong and hard weightless journey since january 2012, and i'm plateauing now, with 10 kg to go. I need your help, and I'll try to keep it as short as possible, but any help would REALLY be appreciated.

I've lost a total of 38 kg so far, and I still have at least 10 kg to go. I've done it the old fashion way - less and healthier food, and lots and lots of exercise. It worked really well the first 1,5 year, but then my weightless stopped, so i become more desperate. Throughout the journey, i've hit a couple of lows, and i've had to restart my metabolism, because I've been starving myself with under 1200 kcal pr. day..

The last 6 months I've been eating around 1600-1800 kcal pr. day, and often more when I've worked out. I work out 3-4 times a week, burning an average of 800+ kcal pr. workout. Even though I eat a lot of food, i'm always under my weekly calorie limit, but never the less, i'm having a really hard time losing weight. I've been at 73,5 kg for about 2 months, plus/minus 200 gram.. I often lose/gain 200-300 gram overnight, which seems absurd.

I should be able to eat the amount I do, since my TDEE is 2415 kcal, so i don't know what's going on - what am i doing wrong?? is it just because I've been at it so long, and the last kg's are the hardest? am i eating the wrong things(even though I'm staying within my kcal limit)? Is it water weight? Muscle gain?

Any thoughts and/or advice would be much appreciated. I'm really getting irritated, and i would love to "finish" my weightless project soon. I know I'll always have to work on maintaining my weight, but i can't wait for the day, where I have to have a large calorie deficit.

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    plateau = eating at maintenance.

    the CICO calculation is off somewhere.

    Either on your intake...do you weigh your food/measure liquids? log everything using the correct entries?

    How do you get your burns? HRM with chest strap? MFP or the machines?
  • misshpn
    misshpn Posts: 70 Member
    plateau = eating at maintenance.

    the CICO calculation is off somewhere.

    Either on your intake...do you weigh your food/measure liquids? log everything using the correct entries?

    How do you get your burns? HRM with chest strap? MFP or the machines?

    I measure everything down to the last gram, and always log using the correct entries.

    My workout consists of 1 hour cardio(running or zumba) and 1 hour strength(body pump and/or cxworx)
  • SKME2013
    SKME2013 Posts: 704 Member
    I assume you have re-calculated your TDEE over time? You probably know that it goes down the more weight you lose? Unfortunately, I do have to agree with the above poster. It sounds like you are eating at maintenance?

    Also, how do you calculate the calories burned during your sport activities? I use a hear rate monitor with chest band. I have seen that most of the gym equipments completely over judge your calorie burn. If I work out really hard on the elliptical for 20 minutes I might burn 180 - 200 calories. Are you saying you are burning 800+ calories PER workout or during the whole week? Sound to me that you are either working out for hours each time or over-estimate your workout calories.

    At the end of the day the sad story is, at least for me: calorie intake is responsible for your weight and workout for your fitness.

    I believe that you will have to shake things up. Perhaps do a fast day or two per week where you eat under 500 cal. Have a look at 5:2 fasting, here is a link: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/
    Change your exercise regime and lift more weights?

    Anyhow- good luck with it
    Stef.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,962 Member
    Have you tried a diet break? The last time plateaud I ate at maintenance for 3 weeks. The scale starting moving again (albeit sowly) once I switched back to a deficit. Trying searching for "diet break" on the forums for more information. I understand that an occasional diet break helps combat metabolic slowdown that occurs when eating at deficit for a prolonged period.