Scale hasn't moved all week - what do I need to change?

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shellykmfp
shellykmfp Posts: 10
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone :)

I'm hoping you can offer some advice and insight into my routine that will help me break past this little plateau. I started my weight loss journey in mid-January at 202 lbs (I'm 5'7"). I got down to 188 by mid-February simply through cutting out soda and just being a little more careful with what I ate. Around that time I started using MFP (this is a new account) and doing 1200 calories/day with 20 minutes of Pilates every day. I had a few cheat days and skipped one or two days of Pilates, but as of last Sunday I had made it to 170. My goal is 150 but I'd like to see if I can get to 140.

When I'm being "good" I tend to lose weight fairly quickly. I know I shouldn't, but weigh myself every morning. This ENTIRE week I have been stuck at 171 and it is making me crazy - - I had one cheat day last Sunday when I hit 170...is it possible that I would be paying for it for a week?? Also, I do tend to use some of my daily calories for sweets. Could this be hurting me as well? Would switching those calories to better choices help? If so, please feel free to suggest good choices to satisfy a sweet tooth! :)

Also, I got a treadmill off Craigslist on Friday and have decided to add in some moderate/fast walking. I'm planning to do at least an hour every other day while still doing Pilates daily. Do I eat back the calories that I will be walking off, or does that defeat the purpose here? Also should I be eating back my (small amount of) Pilates calories? I am so confused about that whole topic.

Thanks for reading, I'm really hoping for some good advice :)
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Replies

  • erialcelyob
    erialcelyob Posts: 341 Member
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    Great work, you just need to keep it up and be patient and consistent :) it's hard but you won't see much difference through 1 week or less
  • motivatedmartha
    motivatedmartha Posts: 1,108 Member
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    One week does not a plateau make - be patient - measure and log so you know how much you're eating - eat at a deficit and it will have no choice but to come off.

    Try checking your measurements - sometimes they change when the scale doesn't.
  • waytogoraus
    waytogoraus Posts: 38
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    Maybe you aren't eating enough? I know that eating more seems like the opposite of what you should do, but if you are eating 1200 calories, working out, & not eating back what you burn, your body may not be getting enough food. I plateaued when I was eating 1200 calories, too. I bumped it up to around 1400-1600 per day to make up a little for what I was burning during workouts, and started losing again.
  • shayemimi
    shayemimi Posts: 203 Member
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    Weight loss usually goes pretty fast at first then slows way down when you get closer to your ideal weight. Some weeks you won't lose at all even tho you are still eating less, etc. Then one day you will weigh and whoosh a couple pounds gone...but remember weight fluctuates, so it will go up and down, especially when you are close to goal weight. Don't worry about it too much unless it's creeping up, then you need to look more closely at your calories, making sure everything is accurate and you aren't underestimating something. Change up your exercise once in a while seems to help too. Just keep at it and if you are burning more than you consume you will eventually lose. :) Good luck!
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    There will also be weeks you gain despite doing everything right. Weight loss is not linear. Keep going.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    If I changed everything I was doing every week there was no loss of be changing it every other week. Weightloss is not linear you need consistency and some patience. If nothing moves agree a month you may need to reassess but a week just keep going
  • DudeistPriest
    DudeistPriest Posts: 665 Member
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    Maybe you aren't eating enough? I know that eating more seems like the opposite of what you should do, but if you are eating 1200 calories, working out, & not eating back what you burn, your body may not be getting enough food. I plateaued when I was eating 1200 calories, too. I bumped it up to around 1400-1600 per day to make up a little for what I was burning during workouts, and started losing again.

    I was thinking the same thing. 1200 sounded a bit low to me too. May try getting another 300-500 more per day, mostly protein and healthy fats (omega 3)
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
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    Sounds to me like the only thing you need to change is your level of patience. You're not "paying" for a "cheat" day or for being "bad." The fact that you used the words "bad," "good," "paying for" and "cheating" bothers me because it sounds like you have and all-or-nothing attitude and unless you're perfect, your body will punish you. It really doesn't work like that and you don't need to be perfect. All-or-nothing thinking can lead to quitting and that would be a shame since you've come so far. :drinker: Weight loss is rarely linear and can be influenced by hormones, water retention, increased sodium, stress, and a myriad of other things. Keep doing what you're doing and on the way you will become much healthier, and energetic and happier.

    One more thing: You didn't mention this in your original post. If you're only measuring weight, you're shortchanging yourself. On your weigh-in day, get out the tape measure and start measuring! This is what I am doing because I thought I'd plateaued when in fact, my waist and hips were shrinking, my arms were gaining some muscle and definition (five weeks ago began lifting) and my legs - OMG my legs! My thigh and calf muscles are like rocks because I began the C25K program at the same time I began lifting! If I hadn't measured all this I would have thought my weight/body composition was static, when, in reality, it wasn't.
  • Jesea
    Jesea Posts: 374 Member
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    Losing weight has been a very slow process for me. I started 2.5 years ago at 205, and have lost 55 pounds, some weeks I've lost a couple of pounds, and some weeks nothing. I tried to hit maintenance over the holidays and ended up gaining 8 pounds. As long as I'm measuring/weighing my food and accurately logging exercise (I recently got a Fitbit to replace my cheap HRM that was overestimating my calorie burn), I just keep on going. I have moved my calorie goals around over the past 2.5 years, usually between 1200-1400 (I'm only 5'2") and try to stay on the lower end of the carb spectrum. I'm only 9.5 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight :)
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
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    Maybe you aren't eating enough? I know that eating more seems like the opposite of what you should do, but if you are eating 1200 calories, working out, & not eating back what you burn, your body may not be getting enough food. I plateaued when I was eating 1200 calories, too. I bumped it up to around 1400-1600 per day to make up a little for what I was burning during workouts, and started losing again.


    Currently I eat back the measly 64 calories MFP says I burn with Pilates. I've seen things about upping calorie allowance to lose but I can't wrap my head around it. Should I consider upping it to like 1400 a day? And if I start walking I should definitely eat all of those calories back as well?

    *Edit*
    Nevermind, just re-read that you upped it FOR the workouts.
    So I should stick with 1200 but always eat back any exercise calories?
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    One week is not a plateau. If you keep doing the same thing and your weight is stable or up after six weeks, then it's time to look at changing things.
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
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    Sounds to me like the only thing you need to change is your level of patience. You're not "paying" for a "cheat" day or for being "bad." The fact that you used the words "bad," "good," "paying for" and "cheating" bothers me because it sounds like you have and all-or-nothing attitude and unless you're perfect, your body will punish you. It really doesn't work like that and you don't need to be perfect. All-or-nothing thinking can lead to quitting and that would be a shame since you've come so far. :drinker: Weight loss is rarely linear and can be influenced by hormones, water retention, increased sodium, stress, and a myriad of other things. Keep doing what you're doing and on the way you will become much healthier, and energetic and happier.

    One more thing: You didn't mention this in your original post. If you're only measuring weight, you're shortchanging yourself. On your weigh-in day, get out the tape measure and start measuring! This is what I am doing because I thought I'd plateaued when in fact, my waist and hips were shrinking, my arms were gaining some muscle and definition (five weeks ago began lifting) and my legs - OMG my legs! My thigh and calf muscles are like rocks because I began the C25K program at the same time I began lifting! If I hadn't measured all this I would have thought my weight/body composition was static, when, in reality, it wasn't.

    Yep...you have me pegged, lol. Total perfectionist and zero patience :P It seems the closer I get to my goal the harder I judge myself. Ugh. Thanks for the kind words and support. :)
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
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    Maybe you aren't eating enough? I know that eating more seems like the opposite of what you should do, but if you are eating 1200 calories, working out, & not eating back what you burn, your body may not be getting enough food. I plateaued when I was eating 1200 calories, too. I bumped it up to around 1400-1600 per day to make up a little for what I was burning during workouts, and started losing again.

    I was thinking the same thing. 1200 sounded a bit low to me too. May try getting another 300-500 more per day, mostly protein and healthy fats (omega 3)

    Ok, so if I followed that (say 1500/day mostly protein & healthy fats) and started the walking, should I eat the walking calories back on top of that? I must say it would be amazing to have an extra 300+ a day!
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
    Options
    Losing weight has been a very slow process for me. I started 2.5 years ago at 205, and have lost 55 pounds, some weeks I've lost a couple of pounds, and some weeks nothing. I tried to hit maintenance over the holidays and ended up gaining 8 pounds. As long as I'm measuring/weighing my food and accurately logging exercise (I recently got a Fitbit to replace my cheap HRM that was overestimating my calorie burn), I just keep on going. I have moved my calorie goals around over the past 2.5 years, usually between 1200-1400 (I'm only 5'2") and try to stay on the lower end of the carb spectrum. I'm only 9.5 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight :)

    Great job! That is awesome :)
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
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    With only 30lbs to lose I would suggest you set your goal to "lose 0.5lb per week" and eat back your exercise calories if they are not part of your activity level, that way you will probably feel less need to have "cheat days" and it will be easier to move to maintenance when you're ready
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
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    Great work, you just need to keep it up and be patient and consistent :) it's hard but you won't see much difference through 1 week or less

    Thanks! I know I'm being irrational, it's just that usually I see a little result every day or two. Every morning this week I thought, "this is the day." lol
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
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    With only 30lbs to lose I would suggest you set your goal to "lose 0.5lb per week" and eat back your exercise calories if they are not part of your activity level, that way you will probably feel less need to have "cheat days" and it will be easier to move to maintenance when you're ready

    Interesting. I didn't think about the fact that I have less to lose now. The theme seems to be upping the daily allowance and eating back the calories from the workouts. Awesome. I really do think that would help me feel more satisfied on a regular basis. Thanks!
  • shellykmfp
    shellykmfp Posts: 10
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    One week does not a plateau make - be patient - measure and log so you know how much you're eating - eat at a deficit and it will have no choice but to come off.

    Try checking your measurements - sometimes they change when the scale doesn't.

    I know it's not a real plateau, just unusual for me and I'm a little worried it will last for weeks!
    I just started taking measurements last Sunday, so I'm hoping to see some movement there soon! :)
  • lexicon28
    lexicon28 Posts: 4
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    In order for me to see the scale move I had to cut down on my carbs. It has worked so far, the progress is slow, but it is there. :) good luck OP
  • FitterinaBallerina
    FitterinaBallerina Posts: 18 Member
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    I find when I begin to plateau, I don't change my eating plan, but my exercise plan. For me I've noticed that my body gets used to doing the same routine all the time. Maybe try switching up your workout this month? Or go for longer cardio times? Just a suggestion that works for me! Congrats on the weight you have lost! Don't give up, you'll reach your goals :D It's all about being persistent! Also don't focus on the scale so much. Try taking measurements. I've lost inches before without seeing any difference on the scale. I rarely weigh myself anymore.

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