plateau..don't know what else to do!

supnicole
supnicole Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all. I'm 23, 5'7 and I've been sitting in the low 160s for 2 months now and my measurements haven't changed. In high school I tried losing weight and I could never break through the 160s. Before college I tried losing weight and could never break through the 160s. The only time I've ever weighed less was when I had disordered eating. I've tried both increasing and decreasing calories, increasing carbs and decreasing fat, lifting less frequently, doing less cardio (varied types), doing more cardio (varied types) and I don't know what else to do! I eat low carb, high fat, moderate protein (5%, 30% 65%) and 1,500-1,700 calories per day. I weigh and log all of my food. I already do not eat wheat, soy, corn, sugar or artificial sweeteners. I lift 5x per week and do cardio 4x per week (2x walking on incline 30-40 minutes, 2x HIIT 20 minutes). I drink at least a gallon of water a day, usually closer to two. I sleep 7-8 hours per night. Does anyone have any further suggestions on how to break through this plateau?

Replies

  • midnightisolde
    midnightisolde Posts: 60 Member
    Bump. I'd be interested in seeing replies to this.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    You sound very similar to me. My two suggestions are (1) take time to recover and (2) try intermittent fasting. It's possible with the amount of exercise you're getting, that you're overtraining. That can impede weight loss due to rises in stress hormones (like cortisol). So, taking a week off where you just walk may help out and give your body the time it needs to recover (also why good quality sleep is so important).

    Second, you may want to try intermittent fasting. I eat a very similar diet and was losing just fine and then hit a plateau for about 6 weeks. Same weekly calorie deficits and the scale and tape measure just weren't moving. These non-linear weight loss patterns are very common for many people. I changed up how I created my weekly deficit by intermittent fasting -- I actually tried the 5:2 plan. That first week, the scale started moving again.

    Was it delayed water retention? Maybe, I don't know. But, calorie cycling is one of the techniques recommended to get your body to release the excess water. But, that's what worked for me. And, I actually found out that I like IFing. I didn't think I would at all, but I think it's going to be what I do from now on as it's just quite manageable for me and you get the added benefits of fasting (increased insulin sensitivity, IGF-2 level shifts, etc.).
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Have you tried to increase you calories by 100-200 extra per day? I know it sounds like you would gain, but if you are exercising like you say you are you may need the extra calories to break the "plateau".
  • nm212
    nm212 Posts: 570 Member
    Did you try recalculating your caloric needs with the iifym.com calculator? Do you eat back your exercise calories?

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    How long did you give something before changing it? Consistent changing of programs can cause the body to not "settle" into a groove.
    For instance if you wanted to get stronger, did a heavy lifting program, saw no results the next week, then switch to a high rep program, saw no results then switched to a high volume program, etc.

    Give it some time. Settle in on ONE PROGRAM and go with it for a month.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

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