Early plateau, not sure what I'm doing wrong

jennifernc16
jennifernc16 Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been overweight for years and for the past 3 or so years have been around 173-176lbs (5' 8"). I never did any exercise whatsoever and ate any junk I wanted to. I decided to make a change and get healthier/in shape on April 25 of this year and joined MFP. I started logging my meals and sticking to 1350 calories and would do little 15 minute weight routines in my living room a couple times per week.

In the first 3 weeks I lost 6lbs and was feeling great but now it's been 5 weeks since then and I've only lost 1 more pound and am getting incredibly frustrated. 3 weeks ago I joined a local gym in the hopes of kickstarting my weightloss again and have been going 3 times/week and doing 30-45 mins of cardio with 15-30 minutes of strength training and still nothing! I really don't know what I'm doing wrong here.

I made my diary public in case anyone wanted to take a look and wanted to note a few things: I've been planning my meals the day before to make it easier to resist temptation (for example today is all logged but I've only had breakfast). Also, I never changed the default settings for "breakfast/lunch/dinner/snack" so all the snacks I have logged are not eaten at once, I usually have one snack between breakfast and lunch and 1-2 small snacks between lunch and dinner. I also don't log my workouts on MFP.

I'd really appreciate any advice/comments! Thanks!

Replies

  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 785 Member
    It's your sodium. If you are loggin this accurately, which it looks like you are, GOOD JOB! But your sodium is over by quite a bit and you are most likely retaining water. If you lowered your sodium and drank plenty of water your water weight will drop off. Even if I have one day over sodium it takes me 4 days to get rid of the retained water.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    I pre-log also. Do you then go back and adjust quantities/weights to match what you actually eat?
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Looked at your diary. Do you actually weigh all the solid food you eat? If not-you are most likely eating more than you think. For the chicken chili, is this your own recipe or something you found in the database that sounds like what you eat? If its not your own recipe, then you don't really know how it compares to your recipe. Same for any other not-your-own recipes in MFP.

    What about milk, juice, cooking oils?
  • 1974lynnette
    1974lynnette Posts: 27 Member
    My answer is sodium too. I looked at the last 3 days & you were well over your sodium every day. Cut back on the sodium intake & drink water. I saw that you don't log your water intake so you may not be drinking enough to flush the excess sodium & your body is retaining water.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Sodium, hormones, time of the month, sleep (or lack of), stress can have temporary affects on the body weight due to water retention. Also starting a new fitness routine.

    So if its been just 2-3 weeks of 'no' weight loss, you might need to just give it more time. But if you're not using a food scale, getting one & weighing all your solid food will help you firm up your accuracy on calorie intake.
  • jennifernc16
    jennifernc16 Posts: 7 Member
    If I eat something other than what I've prelogged, yes I change it in my diary. And I have a kitchen scale so I weigh all my food for accuracy. The chicken chili is also my own recipe and I added all the ingredients I used using the create recipe tool here so that's accurate too. As for cooking oil, I don't use it other than maybe a quick spray of non stick cooking oil at most once/day. And I really only drink water.

    As for those of you saying it's the sodium that's possible. I know this last week or so has been really high. I made a big batch of chicken chili but didn't realize until I had logged all of the ingredients that it was so high in sodium which has been a big contributor. But I obviously wasn't going to let it go to waste! And I've been very good at drinking water ever since I started MFP, I always have a bottle or glass nearby which is great but I pee all the time!

    Edit: StaciMarie yeah that's all true. And it's been 5 weeks of no weightloss which is why this is so discouraging! That's a long time.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Your new gym routine can also be causing water retention to help repair your muscles.

    Give it some time and remember that weight loss isn't linear. Keep your eye on the overall trend.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Sounds like you're doing the right things. :) Its not always easy, but have faith that the results will be there eventually. As to the sodium, drinking extra water can help offset it. If you don't have any health concerns that sodium could factor into, then don't worry about it.

    Sodium (and other water weight) effect is temporary. You have fat loss going on, but the scale doesn't always show it right. I typically have a new low weight the day of/before starting my period - then I'm up 2-3 pounds for the next 10-14 days before it starts coming back down. Then in the next week it looks like I lose 4-5 pounds, but its really just that 2-3 pounds of water weight plus another 2-3 pounds of catching up to what my body has been doing. Different women experience a gain before their cycle starts. We're all different. :)

    If you look at the pics on my MFP page, I posted last month a 30 day trend & a 90 day trend on my weighins. The middle of the 30 day trend: period + high sodium weekend = a huge spike.
  • jennifernc16
    jennifernc16 Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for all the help guys! I'm going to assume it's the new workout and sodium intake that makes it seem like my progress has stalled and just push through and keep going. I appreciate all the input!
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    You've received some great advice already...just wanted to add one thing. With the amount of weight you have to lose, per your ticker, a weight loss of 1/2-1 pound per week is ideal so you're actually right on target. I know we all wish the weight would fall off, especially when we're working so hard but these things take time. Keep it up!
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
    I also plugged your numbers into Scooby (put your age as 30, and your exercise as sedentary), and it gave your BMR as 1700 and TDEE as 2000.

    So, you may want to play around with your daily calorie allowance. I know it seems counter-intuitive to eat more, at least at first. But this is not a LOT more (really), and if you're struggling at all with 1350 calories a higher target may be easier to stick to.

    (I happen to be one of the people who was trying very hard at the beginning to hit 1500 calories per day, and frustrated out of her mind because the weight wasn't coming off. Then I upped my calories to meet the amount i needed for my exercise, and I started to lose weight more regularly.)

    I would also look at your goal and how much you've set MFP to lose per week. At maximum you should be at 1 lb per week now.
  • FitnessInstructorKhalil
    FitnessInstructorKhalil Posts: 43 Member
    Looking at all your meals it seems as though you are eating wayy too much food to start with, the sodium is too much and you need to meet your protein factor, don't go over it
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Meal replacement shakes such as Herbalife will help you cut weight much faster

    Ok I'll bite.

    Please tell us how Herbalife shakes will accelerate fat loss.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Looking at all your meals it seems as though you are eating wayy too much food to start with, the sodium is too much and you need to meet your protein factor, don't go over it

    Most people should be in the red for protein daily, especially if they're relying on MFP's default goals.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Looking at all your meals it seems as though you are eating wayy too much food to start with, the sodium is too much and you need to meet your protein factor, don't go over it

    Her average calorie intake this month is about 1350.


    What do you suggest is "way too much" about that?

    What do you suggest will happen if she exceeds protein without exceeding calorie goal?
  • airplanes00
    airplanes00 Posts: 62 Member
    Hi, you got great advice so far and I just wanted to add my thoughts, never hurts to have more information. While no can tell you exactly what cause the scale to stop moving, the advice below has been good suggestions of things to note from week to week, maybe go back and see what your sodium was when you lost the first few pounds.

    I would highly recommend you do some research about your TDEE and BMR and maybe readjust your calories, I personally think its kind of low now. Maybe also you might want to watch your Marcos, adjust them to your lean body mass - for example I do protein at 30% of my LBM / Fat at 35% of my LBM / and carbs is the difference at 35%

    I would also suggest getting some form of body fat reader. I bought a hand held one at GNC for about $30 it is not 100% but it will help you get an idea of where your at, and if your losing body fat or not. The scale might be reflecting muscle gain and fat lose and that is why its not moving. Measurements will also help you track a more accurate lose.

    It sounds like your really being truthful to yourself and I too struggle with being a slave to the scale, you'll have good days and bad, but stick with it, don't stress too much about it, do some reading and find other forms of weight lose tracking and it should make a difference.

    PS - read about water intake as well if you find it hard to reduce your sodium, I am so bad at my sodium, but I pee like every hour so I think I am doing ok HEHE :) Good Luck
  • tlsvas
    tlsvas Posts: 10 Member
    I call my plateaus "bounces". After many attempts at getting my weight under control I've learned "bouncing" is what my body does. After accepting this for what it is, I have finally begun to get and stay healthy. I stayed on a bounce for 5 weeks then dropped seven pounds. Bounced around with 4 of those pounds for two weeks and then dropped 4 pounds in addition to those I was bouncing around with.

    Sodium WILL cause your weight to fluctuate daily. This is not fat weight but fluid weight but when you look at that scale showing upward movement it doesn't matter in our minds that it's fluid - it's still moving in the wrong direction. For me, that use to spell end of the diet. Now I've learned to stay the course and the scale will reflect a loss eventually but with that said, don't let the scale dictate your success. There are so many other ways to tell you are succeeding in your weight loss journey. How do your clothes fit, how do you move, how do you feel, how are you sleeping and on and on. Let that continue to move you forward!

    Lastly, I referred above to the dreaded "D" word - diet. I'm so done with that, now I enjoy a healthy eating lifestyle, good lean meats, seafood, fruits and veggies. Increased protein (per dr orders), low fat, low carbs and I feel better than I have in several years - works for me and I always say - do what works for you!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,974 Member
    Meal replacement shakes such as Herbalife will help you cut weight much faster
    Where are some of these "new" fitness instructors getting their instruction from? Even mentioning using a supplemental dietary product to lose weight discredits your actual knowledge in nutrition.

    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
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    Are you taking measurements as well? It's totally normal to lose inches without pounds (and vice versa). If you're shrinking but not seeing it on the scale yet, it still counts as a win.
  • mayfrayy
    mayfrayy Posts: 198 Member
    you probably started gaining some muscle mass (while losing fat)
  • amberj32
    amberj32 Posts: 663 Member
    Looking at all your meals it seems as though you are eating wayy too much food to start with, the sodium is too much and you need to meet your protein factor, don't go over it

    Her average calorie intake this month is about 1350.


    What do you suggest is "way too much" about that?

    What do you suggest will happen if she exceeds protein without exceeding calorie goal?

    I would like to know what is "way too much" about that too! It doesn't seem like very much to me.
    I don't think you are over your sodium that much. I'm over every day and it hasn't stalled my progress. I do drink at least 8 cups of water a day. Not sure how much you are drinking.
    You could be gaining muscle mass. Have you lost any inches?
  • stananvik
    stananvik Posts: 23
    This might seem obvious, but...

    Are you sure you have a scale that works properly?
  • lblair31374
    lblair31374 Posts: 9
    I think you should really reevaluate how many calories you should be taking in, especially on workout days. Ear back SOME of your workout calories. Don't underfeed yourself on workout days. It will just make you hungry and set you up for disaster.
  • jennifernc16
    jennifernc16 Posts: 7 Member
    Tisvas- It's really encouraging to hear that you've gone through this too and that it was only water weight

    AliceDark and Amber- I took measurements and before photos a month ago but haven't rechecked, that may be a good idea to see if anything has changed

    DianeinCA, airplanes and lblair- I've thought about whether 1350 calories is too low but I'm not sure. I used the calculator on IIFYM.com and using the "aggressive 20%" fat loss option ended up with 1350 which is how I landed on that number. I haven't really had any trouble sticking to this and never feel like I'm deprived/starving at all but I also want to make sure I'm not doing any damage to my metabolism etc at this rate. I know you're not supposed to go below 1200 so I'm hoping 1350 is ok. Also, I know .5-1lb of weight loss/week is healthy and if you're going over that you need to eat more but clearly losing too much weight hasn't been my problem just yet haha
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
    I used the calculator on IIFYM.com and using the "aggressive 20%" fat loss option ended up with 1350 which is how I landed on that number. I haven't really had any trouble sticking to this and never feel like I'm deprived/starving at all but I also want to make sure I'm not doing any damage to my metabolism etc at this rate. I know you're not supposed to go below 1200 so I'm hoping 1350 is ok.

    I don't know what weight you're aiming for, but 20% seems too aggressive for your height and weight. I think it's mainly for people who have a lot of weight to lose.

    What numbers did you put into IIFYM? I've never used their site before, so I put in 5'8", 173, and age 30, with body fat of 35% (because I have zero idea what your age and BF% actually are) and it gave me 1622 calories a day. If your BF% is less than 35%, you get even more calories per day.
  • jennifernc16
    jennifernc16 Posts: 7 Member
    What numbers did you put into IIFYM? I've never used their site before, so I put in 5'8", 173, and age 30, with body fat of 35% (because I have zero idea what your age and BF% actually are) and it gave me 1622 calories a day. If your BF% is less than 35%, you get even more calories per day.

    I put in 5'8", 170lbs, age 24 and 37% BF and it gave me a recommendation of 1365 calories for the 20% fat loss
  • DianeinCA
    DianeinCA Posts: 307 Member
    Using these numbers...

    173-1.png

    173-2.png

    Your BMR is 1440. According to everything I've read on MFP, you shouldn't eat below this number.

    At an AGGRESSIVE (meaning, you're trying to lose weight as fast as possible, even though you probably have ~20 pounds to lose) cut, your allotment is 1584 calories a day.

    You're going to see this link posted a lot on the boards: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants Read it. It will explain what the numbers in those pictures are and how to use them.
  • jennifernc16
    jennifernc16 Posts: 7 Member
    Your BMR is 1440. According to everything I've read on MFP, you shouldn't eat below this number.

    At an AGGRESSIVE (meaning, you're trying to lose weight as fast as possible, even though you probably have ~20 pounds to lose) cut, your allotment is 1584 calories a day.

    You're going to see this link posted a lot on the boards: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants Read it. It will explain what the numbers in those pictures are and how to use them.

    I also just realized that when I first calculated those numbers I used a sedentary activity level because it was before I joined the gym but I never went back to change it after I started working out. Looks like I have some adjusting to do! Thanks for all the info!

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