I've hit a plateau!

I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!

I've been on a plateau for the last 4 months or so. Sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your body. I can tell you that hating my body only resulted in putting back everything I lost plus some more. I was over 200 lbs and I thought how I hated myself at 155 and then really was disgusted at myself at 172.

I am back at 172 and although I would love to get to 140, it isn't happening right now so I am congratulating myself for keeping the weight off and trying to love myself right where I am. Most days I feel really good at this weight. If it weren't that the BMI chart still shows me as Obese, I might chill out.

I tell you, sometimes, the fattest thing about me is right between the ears! :laugh:

my advice to you is to start lifting heavy.

I had a look at your diary. There's your problem. Eat. Eat. Eat. Are you lacking motovation or energy? Bet your tired. Lethargic. I dont know your weight or height but 1000 cals and under is not a sustainable diet for any woman. Best of luck. Eat.

Exactly.

How can you even make it out of bed each day with only 700 calories in you? You're on the right path to putting back all the weight and then some. Eat more. Be healthy and fit. Then watch those pounds come off.

So eat the foods you like, but more of them.

Yes, you need to eat if you've not been hitting your goals and then the exercise will come easier. If you are bored with what you've been doing you need to try something different like swimming or an exercise class. Zumba is great fun or whatever takes your fancy but motivation isn't an issue when you attend a class because the time absolutely flies by and quitting simply isn't an option - you're a team!

The science is there - if you truly are eating only 700 cal a day you should be losing weight. So I'm guessing you are not weighing your food and/or logging everything you eat OR drink each day.

You lack of motivation comes from the fact you are probably eating too low causing you to be tired, cranky , lethargic.

Taking in so few calories will screw with your metabolism so on the days you do eat 1000+ calories your body wants to hold onto those nutrients which can stall weight loss. Additionally how is your water intake? If you are not drinking enough your body will retain water which will stall weightloss as well.

Basically.... you need to log and weigh everything you eat and drink and eat more. You may notice the scale go up at first because your body needs to readjust to more calories. But after a couple weeks you'll notice the scale going back in the right direction.

I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!

Your logging is not consistent because if you were really eating under 1000 calories you would be losing weight.

You should get your logging under control and ensure you are weighing all food and making correct entries. You log all you eat.

Also, if you count your exercise calories and you use MPG or gym machines for estimations, keep in mind they are both WAY overestimated. For example, my 4 mile 42 minute run this morning: the gym machine said I burned over 600 calories, my HRM said 320. BIG difference.

Finally, you won't lose the last ten pounds very fast because you are already close to a healthy weight.

This isn't always the case, depends on the gym machine and whether you've put in your weight and age etc. We have Precor machines at my gym and my gym sessions by machine estimations come out at within just a few calories (less than 10 on some occasions!) of what FitBit gives me for the same period of time.

I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.

The science is there - if you truly are eating only 700 cal a day you should be losing weight. So I'm guessing you are not weighing your food and/or logging everything you eat OR drink each day.

You lack of motivation comes from the fact you are probably eating too low causing you to be tired, cranky , lethargic.

These two points are correct.