WTF is up with this 4 month plateau?

The cravings for sweets, bread, pasta, etc. is more for insulin resistance, but the other ones are for hypothyroidism.

The only thing I can think of, other than what everyone else has already said...are your blood sugar levels normal (you're not hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic) or are you under a lot of stress recently? Periods of very high stress always stops my weight loss even if I'm eating the same amount of calories, not sure exactly why but it stinks.

THIS^^^ Stress does a NUMBER on your cortisol levels...sounds kinda crunchy, but try some meditation to get your stress levels lower. It's great to think 'nothing' for a few minutes a day.

It sounds like you're burning a huge amount of calories during your workouts. You may not physically feel like you're overtraining, but if your body thinks you are it may further increase your cortisol production, leading to weight gain or maintenance weight no matter how hard you work. I fell into the same cycle as you...worked out like a beast doing Insanity and running 4-5 miles a few times a week, and my body just refused to let go of anything. Took about a week off to relax and dropped my workouts to every other day, and things have been progressing positively again. And be sure you're getting your zzzzzz's!

So, looking at your diary, I would suggest upping protein intake ( set a goal to reach every day), reduce dependance on protein bars and shakes, (limit to 1 per day), and decrease carbs (again set a goal to stay under a certain amount). Fat will fall into place. I liked your eggs/avocado today. Focus on natural sources for protein like beef, chicken, and pork and add some veggies. I also notice you eat a fair amount of cheese? I think cheese is great, I just might limit it to 1-2 oz per day or a harder cheese.

I am hypothyoid, have some autoimmune issues, and hormonal imbalances that I am trying to manage/improve with diet. It has taken years of push/pull with my eating habits to realize the above. I notice that I only lose if I keep net carbs around 100, and protein up around 100g. I eat a fair amount of fat in the form of avocados, coconut and coconut oil, nuts, and olive oil. I am fairly active and do ballet 6-7 times/week along with other activities. I estimate about 450 cals burned per day. This week, I've eaten about 1900 cals per day and I'm on track to lose 2 lbs (I officially weigh Mondays). So, just some background so you understand where my advice comes from. I am gluten and dairy free as well, which has helped me reduce cravings by 95%. I find that amazing.

Hope that helps!!

Eta: I have eaten more carbs and mor processed foods at lower calorie levels and maintained or gained. I have done much experimenting. I am also 5'10" and weigh about 175 at the moment.

I had a 14-month weight plateau. But I did not have a 14-month size plateau. Over that year, 4 inches came of the waist, the hips and the chest (each). Measuring month to month didn't necessarily seem to show a decrease in size, but couple of months and it was evident that there was really a half-inch, or so, difference from the reading 2-3 months prior.

My exercise routine was pretty routine (in that I followed a routine every day).

Then, it took a step change in the exercise routine (a 10% increase in the level of exercise). With that, last 20 pounds came off over 10 months to reach my target weight. I switched over to "maintenance," continued the increased level of cardio activity and my weight continued to fall. It dropped to 7 pounds below my target weight.

Once I started to train for a marathon and had finally reached half-marathon training distances, my weight came back up and has maintained a fairly tight range except immediately after a race. But to people who only see me once every 2-4 months, I still look (to them) like I am losing weight. Even at maintenance, my body is still rearranging itself. More muscle mass, less fat, I presume.

good to know. thank you for sharing~

^^^ I was just about to say the same thing. Although everything you are eating is fine in my opinion, I definitely think you need to integrate more vegetables into your diet (and a small amount of fruit). I love my protein shakes and quest bars too.... especially the cookies and cream one.. but there is no doubt in my mind that your body could definitely benefit from WHOLE foods. Good luck on your journey.. and btw, you look incredible! And remember that weight doesn't matter... do you feel strong and energized, etc?

This will go against most on here, this is what I did. I do a run in the morning (I log it 100%). I do a p90x/insanity hybrid and log 1/2 or less. I also cut my calories 500 per day to 1400. (36 yr old male at 229)

My numbers go against every calculator and recommended advice.

You know if you are logging accurate, I had a disagreement with a fellow member on my logging. However, I could not argue: if you are maintaining you are in maintenance regardless.

I see you do interval training. HRM could be miscalculating your burn, likely with your accurate food logging.

I looked through the posts and I didn't see this question asked: When you say you burn 500-1000 calories a day, measuring using your HRM, what exercises are you doing? It's possible that the exercises you're using your HRM to track aren't actually accurately trackable by a HRM. 500-1000 calories is a lot to be burning, particularly at your weight.

We are about the same size.

I have to exercise at a medium to high intensity for nearly 2.5 hours straight to burn anywhere near 1000 calories. Running for an hour for me burns about 380 calories, Zumba might burn 100 more. So unless you're spending 1/8 or more of your day exercising, you are probably not burning as many calories as you think. HRMs are a guesstimate at best.

Plateaus = eating at maintenance. This could tie in to your metabolism being problematic, but it's also very likely that you're way, way overestimating how many calories you're burning with exercise. At your size, you only have to be off by a hundred or two hundred calories per day to not lose weight.

Have you had your thyroid checked, or been to the MD for a checkup?

Are you on any medications that could inhibit weight loss?

Is your heart rate monitor new? Do you have it properly calibrated? I ask this questions because it's difficult for anyone to burn 1,000 calories in an exercise session, even at a larger size. This number sounds inflated to me.

If your thyroid and/or health is fine, you are not on any medications that can inhibit your weight loss, and your heart rate monitor is working properly, there is a miscalculation somewhere.if you have not lost for four months Even though weight loss is not linear, it seems to me you would have seen some downward movement. Water retention is generally fleeting, not constant, and for most people goes away within a few days or weeks, depending on the person..

The only thing I can think of, other than what everyone else has already said...are your blood sugar levels normal (you're not hypoglycemic or hyperglycemic) or are you under a lot of stress recently? Periods of very high stress always stops my weight loss even if I'm eating the same amount of calories, not sure exactly why but it stinks.

THIS^^^ Stress does a NUMBER on your cortisol levels...sounds kinda crunchy, but try some meditation to get your stress levels lower. It's great to think 'nothing' for a few minutes a day.

I'm going to third this. My life is tweaked or changes just a tiny bit - even if I'm eating in a deficit I don't lose weight. I'll actually start gaining if I'm under stress for a long enough period of time. I have to do yoga.

when I burned 1,000 calories, that was 3.5 hours of intense cardio.

wow...you are strong...3 hours of intense cardio, back to back? I can barely do one of like 45 minute of kickboxing...

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