Weight loss has totally stalled

Andiebeanluvsu
Andiebeanluvsu Posts: 105 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I posted this originally on the motivation board, but I think it shod have gone here instead. Sorry for the duplicate posts!

I've been on MFP since Feb 1st, and I am down 22lbs so far (down from 223 to 201). Everything was going great for the first couple of months, but my progress has completely stalled over the last month or so. I've been gaining and losing the same 3 lbs. I really am trying hard to break into the 100s for good, so I'd appreciate whatever input I can get. I feel like I'm doing what I'm supposed to do, but may be I'm wrong.

I am almost finished with my C25k program, so I do that 4 times a week, last week I started adding in some body weight resistance, and on my off days, I try to get my 10000 steps in through my fitbit. I try to eat back about half of my exercise calories every day. Also, while I've been notorious for not drinking water, I've been choking down around 10 cups a day for the last week. I weigh everything I eat with my food scale, and I use measuring cups as a plan b if I am at my in laws.

Is there something I'm missing? Or do I just need to ride it out? If so, how long will this last before I start dropping weight again.

Replies

  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    I apologize if this seems elementary, but a lot of people miss it: did you recalculate your numbers after you lost some weight? You should be recalculating your calorie goal every 5-10 lbs lost, because your lower-weight body will have a lower caloric requirement.
  • Andiebeanluvsu
    Andiebeanluvsu Posts: 105 Member
    I do that every couple of pounds. Last time it brought me down 10 calories.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    Weight loss isn't linear. A lot of things can affect the scale, like water retention if you eat more sodium or due to normal hormonal changes. Either your calculations are off, and you are not burning as much as you think, or you are eating more than you think, so that you are not maintaining the proper deficit, or else your calculations are fine and you're dealing with normal water weight fluctuations and the scale will probably move several pounds at a time all at once. I would suggest that you take a careful second look at all of your numbers to make sure there isn't an error somewhere, rethink the meals where anything was left to guessing (restaurant meals especially) and if it all still looks correct, then be patient.

    One thing that many people have tried is to eat at maintenance for a day or two along with extra water. For some reason, this seems to cause the scale to budge, whether it's ridding your body of water weight or making your body feel that it's ok to expel extra weight or whatever, it seems to work for quite a few.
  • elizabethportman
    elizabethportman Posts: 11
    I apologize if this seems elementary, but a lot of people miss it: did you recalculate your numbers after you lost some weight? You should be recalculating your calorie goal every 5-10 lbs lost, because your lower-weight body will have a lower caloric requirement.
    Well said. You should calculate your weight each time and compare it with your ultimate goal.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Can you confirm the cooked orzo, pasta salad etc are your own recipes, and not entries from the database? Or were these the estimates due to eating at another house? Also I'd say give it a couple more weeks. The six week mark should be when you could start thinking plateau, else it may just be weight loss not being linear
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    I think at this point you either really become strict with your weighing, measuring and logging everything or you begin increasing your deficit slowing till you see some movement.
  • Joshloe
    Joshloe Posts: 14 Member
    Seems like you're eye balling a lot of things in your diary.

    I'd cut the pasta out, cut the 7-11 slurpees out and cut your calories a little more.
  • Andiebeanluvsu
    Andiebeanluvsu Posts: 105 Member
    Thanks for all of the input, everyone! The things I ate yesterday were from being at my MILs house. I didn't have my scale, but I did measure everything, so no, those were not my recipes. When I am at home, I weigh everything out in a recipe, so I know how much is in "one portion" (ex. Taco meat mixture that I made was 5oz by weight per serving). I very rarely eyeball anything, and if I do, it's usually because I'm in a situation where I don't have access to a food scale.

    I guess I just have to keep waiting it out. I'll try to increase my calories a little and see if that helps.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    Eating someone else's food may have already increased your calories, sodium, etc for you. :smile: I vote waiting it out first
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 683 Member
    Ok my advice and yup ive been there more than once if you are talking about stalling for a week or 2 then my advice is wait another couple of weeks, do you eat your exercise calories back? i did and then cut down to just some if any , try dropping another 100 down in calories if thaqt fails try going up its all trial and error , make sure your activity level is correct too hope the scale moves soon although do you measure yourself i lost 0 lbs but dropped 5 inches 1 month x
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Could be due to the fact that you started doing some strength training. When we start a new workout or change our workouts, the muscles can retain water and glycogen as part of the natural healing process - basically if you're sore, you're probably retaining water. And this then causes a stall or even slight gain on the scale.

    I agree with keeping up the good work for another 2-3 weeks before you decide to make any drastic changes. You're still technically averaging around 5 pounds lost per month which is pretty fantastic IMHO!

    P.S. I also stalled around 200 and again around 180. It's frustrating as hell but you just have to keep on keepin' on and eventually it'll start coming off again.

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