My Plateau - Need Expert Advice PLEASE :)

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JennaM222
JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Guys!

I need some expert advice here. I have lost my "extra weight" 24 lbs, and I am at my "normal weight" that I have always been comfortably, not happy, but not the worse.

Anyways, for the last couple of months I have been floating around the same 1-4 lbs. up, down, up down.

I want to lose 15 more lbs, and then work on some MAJOR toning and strength training. my goal with out exercising is 1200 cals a day. If I dont work out, I try not to go over this. If I do work out, I sometimes eat back half my work out cals, sometimes I dont hit 1200 at all. Weekends I dont count calories really, just let loose a bit like I always have during this journey. Now that I am back at this weight ( which by the way, my bosy looks nothing like it did before the weight grrr ):mad: I am wondering if I need some major changes. no more "cheat weekends"? My work outs consist of a combo of the treadmill & eliptical, most strenth training is done at home 1 day a week with my kettlebell. I say one day a week becasue I am usually TOOOO sore to even pick the thing up again. Durring the week I NEVER go out to eat unless it is subway, or a salad and soup if my boss takes me out. I eat very healthy durring the week, but usually am ALWAYS eating the same foods. Any help would be greatly appreaciated!!

I think I need to really stick to it on the weekends, and let sunday be my cheat day. I love wine and a few cocktails with my guy on friday/saterday soooo that may also be an issue.

Replies

  • Charlie001
    Charlie001 Posts: 354
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    Try CLA
  • elid
    elid Posts: 209 Member
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    I think I need to really stick to it on the weekends, and let sunday be my cheat day. I love wine and a few cocktails with my guy on friday/saterday soooo that may also be an issue.

    Instead of Sunday, I'd suggest making either Friday or Saturday (but not both...) your 'cheat day', since you like to go out then. :)
  • jamie1888
    jamie1888 Posts: 1,704 Member
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    Hard to believe, but sometimes you need to eat more to lose weight! It might be time to bump up your calories a little bit. Your body becomes used to whatever routine you've been doing and you have to change things up. If you aren't eating enough calories, your body will keep your metabolism lower to conserve what you are giving it. If you eat a little more, you could ramp up your metabolism some.
    EDIT to add: Yes, a cheat weekend might be a bit too much. I would suggest logging your food on weekend so you can see exactly what you are doing. You might be surprised by how much you are eating and will naturally tone it down. And it may not be how much you eat on the weekend, but WHAT you eat on the weekends that causes the biggest hurdle for you.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    You should definitely be meeting your calorie goal, which means eating all of your exercise calories. When you have less fat to lose, it's harder to lose. This is because the body will use either muscle or fat for energy depending on which is closer to the area that needs the energy. If muscle is closer, that's what it will burn because it's more efficient. So it's much more important that you eat enough. You might even try increasing your calories a little bit.

    You should be doing more strength training. Do a lighter workout so you aren't as sore and can do it more often.
  • scrappy11
    scrappy11 Posts: 163
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    Looking at your diary it looks like you are not eating enough. Eating 1200 calories at your height and weight are not enough to keep your metabolism going. Eating less than or at 1200 calories is slowing everything down therefore causing a slow weight loss or not losing at all. I would consider moving your goal weight loss for the week to 1lb a week instead of the 2. I know there is a lot of conflict on MFP about eating your exercise calories but I promise you that if you eat your exercise calories back you will lose weight a lot faster. By eating these calories back you will be giving back your body what it needs in order to live and increase your metabolism as well. I promise you this will work and if it doesn't you can hunt me down. When I did MFP in 2009 I started out at 168lbs and I am 5'5...I did this and I lost 30lbs in 6 months. The worst that could happen is that it doesn't work and you have to try something else. Let me know what you think!
    Nikki
  • cc_campbell81
    cc_campbell81 Posts: 622
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    I have three tips/suggestions.

    1. Track your cheat day to make sure you aren't going too overboard. It's easy to hit a few thousand calories if you aren't paying attention. If you eat too much on the weekend you could be undoing what you did during the week.
    2. Try not to ever go under 1200. I saw a nutritionist who explained to me that women shouldn't eat less than 1200 because it sends your body into starvation mode. The link below explains it in more detail but basically if you body isn't getting enough calories it thinks it's starving and begins to store everything you eat instead of burning it off. Eating 1200-1300 calories a day split over 3 meals and 2 snacks (so you eat about every 4 hours) is supposed to help your body burn calories more efficiently.
    3. Change up your fitness routine every 4-6 weeks so your body is constantly challenged and do a mix of cardio and strengh/resistance training.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/347223-can-women-eat-1-200-calories-a-day-lose-weight/
  • HollyMac20
    HollyMac20 Posts: 259 Member
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    From your stats we are pretty near the same size. I am 5'-8" and anywhere between 154-158 for weight. I recently bought a body bugg because I have been this weight FOREVER and would love to shed the last 5-10 pounds. I have had my game on before and got down to a size I was very happy with. I just take twice as much effort as how the rest of your weight came off.

    Anyway, I found that on a day I don't workout, I just live and exist I burn anywhere from 1800-2200 calories. I have a desk job, so I don't move around much there. On a normal workout day, my burn is 2600-2800 somewhere in there. So your 1200 calories might be a little low for what you are doing. I have found 1600 is a pretty good number and have seen results there. My largest burn days have come on none workout days! One day I was riding snowmobiles and walking around outside drinking beer with the boys, shooting clays and burned 3100+. The largest yet was this past Saturday, I help my bf work on our sleds. He is a mechanic, so I was turning wrenches and lugging parts all day and burned 3300+.

    Pick up your strength training. That makes a huge difference. Something I am going to increase to lose the last bit. You will end up burning more all day and get some awesome definition.

    How clean is your diet? Again, a huge difference. Low sodium, high protien, lots of veggies, no pre packaged stuff, or even deli meats. Limit your dry carbs to whole grains. I shoot for dry carbs in only one of my meals a day.

    As far as the weekend goes, try just making a few more 'better' choices. I am a sucker for pizza and beer on the weekend. So I try and fill up on a salad first, before I dig in with pizza. We are also breakfast people, my bf eats too much bacon than any person should. I have canadian bacon instead. Still get my huge omlet in, but i load it with spinach, ham and onions.

    I am so in the same boat!!!
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    From your stats we are pretty near the same size. I am 5'-8" and anywhere between 154-158 for weight. I recently bought a body bugg because I have been this weight FOREVER and would love to shed the last 5-10 pounds. I have had my game on before and got down to a size I was very happy with. I just take twice as much effort as how the rest of your weight came off.

    Anyway, I found that on a day I don't workout, I just live and exist I burn anywhere from 1800-2200 calories. I have a desk job, so I don't move around much there. On a normal workout day, my burn is 2600-2800 somewhere in there. So your 1200 calories might be a little low for what you are doing. I have found 1600 is a pretty good number and have seen results there. My largest burn days have come on none workout days! One day I was riding snowmobiles and walking around outside drinking beer with the boys, shooting clays and burned 3100+. The largest yet was this past Saturday, I help my bf work on our sleds. He is a mechanic, so I was turning wrenches and lugging parts all day and burned 3300+.

    Pick up your strength training. That makes a huge difference. Something I am going to increase to lose the last bit. You will end up burning more all day and get some awesome definition.

    How clean is your diet? Again, a huge difference. Low sodium, high protien, lots of veggies, no pre packaged stuff, or even deli meats. Limit your dry carbs to whole grains. I shoot for dry carbs in only one of my meals a day.

    As far as the weekend goes, try just making a few more 'better' choices. I am a sucker for pizza and beer on the weekend. So I try and fill up on a salad first, before I dig in with pizza. We are also breakfast people, my bf eats too much bacon than any person should. I have canadian bacon instead. Still get my huge omlet in, but i load it with spinach, ham and onions.

    I am so in the same boat!!!

    Love this and all the responses. we sound like the same people! me and my guy also love making/going out for breakfast on the weekend. we have started making dinners together VS going out some weekends, so that will help alot, and I am always sure to swap out better options ( ground turkey for beef, light this, turkey bacon instead of the norm, egg whites, etc etc. ) I agree that maybe I need to sneak in a few more HEALTHY snacks throughout the day to keep my motabolism moving, and try to behave a little bit more on the weekend. Maybe a friday cheat day only.
  • berv0009
    berv0009 Posts: 465 Member
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    I am thinking Jenna, that you need to eat more calories also :) When you burn -- eat those too!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The time in my life that I lost the most weight -- about 30lbs in one year -- I was training for a triathlon... and I quit drinking. I think the combination of the variety of exercise, and obviously the loss of all those empty extra calories are what did it. I didn't even count calories. I just ate good foods when I was hungry, knowing that I was burning alot and needed to take alot in. When I was in HS - obviously the best shape of my life -- I was on the swim team. It is an excellent FULL body workout. I will teach you to swim if you don't know how :) lol
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    I am thinking Jenna, that you need to eat more calories also :) When you burn -- eat those too!!!!!!!!!!!!

    The time in my life that I lost the most weight -- about 30lbs in one year -- I was training for a triathlon... and I quit drinking. I think the combination of the variety of exercise, and obviously the loss of all those empty extra calories are what did it. I didn't even count calories. I just ate good foods when I was hungry, knowing that I was burning alot and needed to take alot in. When I was in HS - obviously the best shape of my life -- I was on the swim team. It is an excellent FULL body workout. I will teach you to swim if you don't know how :) lol

    you better give me mouth to mouth if I start flailing under water!!!
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    I agree 100% with everyone who said to eat more.
    I weigh 105 and eat 1500 a day comfortably.
    when you only have a little to lose you need to have a TINY deficit, drink way more water, work out harder, and eat cleaner. They come off slower but they do come off, and healthier too!
  • tweezer17
    tweezer17 Posts: 11 Member
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    Everyone has already said what I was going to say, so eat more. Mmmmmmmmm! Food! I'm going to go get healthy snack right now.
  • tweezer17
    tweezer17 Posts: 11 Member
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    P.S. Weight training would be a very good idea for you at this point. You would be creating lean muscle which has a higher metabolism. Also lifting causes you to burn calories even after you stop lifting because you are breaking down & then building up the muscle so you body is reparing and burning calories for hours after you lift. Just make sure you are lifting enough and not doing the usual girly little amounts (those don't really do much). So all in all weight lifting might be good to try.

    Just remember that whenever you start a new program you have to give it two weeks. Especially with doing any kind of weighted program. The first two week you may seem to be gaining a pound or two, this is usually water weight being held in your muscles. After two weeks that should come off along with the new weight you have lost.
  • JennaM222
    JennaM222 Posts: 1,996 Member
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    P.S. Weight training would be a very good idea for you at this point. You would be creating lean muscle which has a higher metabolism. Also lifting causes you to burn calories even after you stop lifting because you are breaking down & then building up the muscle so you body is reparing and burning calories for hours after you lift. Just make sure you are lifting enough and not doing the usual girly little amounts (those don't really do much). So all in all weight lifting might be good to try.

    Just remember that whenever you start a new program you have to give it two weeks. Especially with doing any kind of weighted program. The first two week you may seem to be gaining a pound or two, this is usually water weight being held in your muscles. After two weeks that should come off along with the new weight you have lost.

    Yes, I know I need to do the weights...I may need to start committing myself to a body pump class on the weekends, and my own weight lifting once or twice a week. My kettle bell DVD is great for my lower body, but I need to do more with my upper body and flabby arms.

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