Plateaued Weight Loss...HELP

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jen76love
jen76love Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
OK- So I've lost 10 pounds. But I've seemed to have plateaued and I'm not losing like I was at first. I'm doing 30-35 minutes of cardio 4-5 days a week. I eat only 1200 calories (or less), 20 carbs and 50 grams of fat a day. Should I be eating more? I have 10 more pounds to go and I can't stand this!

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  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
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    You said it yourself! The problem is that you "eat only 1200 calories (or less)". The LESS part is the problem! You shouldn't be dipping below 1,200....And if you burn 300 while you're exercising (for example), you should be eating 1,500 on those days....Does that make sense?

    TRUST ME, I was in EXACTLY the same position when I started on this site....And then I realized that I wasn't eating enough calories! As soon as I started consuming the required amount, the weight began dropping off (slowly but surely), and it hasn't stopped yet!
  • udallmom101
    udallmom101 Posts: 564 Member
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    You should really change up what you are doing. Confuse your body a little. Up your calories a bit one day. When I plateau I take a weekend to eat what I have been craving. I don't overdue it, but that usually really helps to get me going again.
  • JenabeeRose
    JenabeeRose Posts: 73 Member
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    the last ten lbs are always the hardest to lose, but 1200 calories isn't a lot, and the bad thing about only eating 1200 calories is that the weight is more than likely to come back on unless u remain close to a 1200 calorie limit. Before I started losing weight I was eating anywhere from 2500-3000 calories a day... of course i knew i needed to minimize that but i decided to choose a number i could stay around for the rest of my life. I could easily eat 1600 calories and lose weight, and the weight will stay off easier because I won't be making a big calorie jump.. I will stay around 1600 calories and be happy. you might want to think about increasing your cals a bit
  • jen76love
    jen76love Posts: 16
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    The more you eat, the more you burn? Why is it anorexic people are so skinny? LOL Also, I've had a few cocktails this month, maybe that is a contributing factor??
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
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    You need to eat those exercise calories up. That should help you start losing again. :smile:
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    I definitely wouldn't recommend eating less than 1200 calories for the day. It will affect your body and brain function.

    Add some strength training to get some lean muscle burning more calories and fat. You could also switch up the cardio by adding some HIIT routines into them, doing a longer duration, or switch off the days you normally rest and when you work out. Or completely do a different cardio routine altogether.

    Whatever you do, don't eat less. Sometimes your body needs to be reminded that it still has extra calories to burn, so eating a bit more won't hurt.

    Lastly, be patient. You can't force your body to lose weight immediately. It's still adjusting to the weight loss. Be happy that you've lost the first 10 lbs. When your body's done celebrating this victory, it will start working on burning calories again.
  • anubis609
    anubis609 Posts: 3,966 Member
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    The more you eat, the more you burn? Why is it anorexic people are so skinny? LOL Also, I've had a few cocktails this month, maybe that is a contributing factor??

    Exactly. The more you eat, the more your body thinks it has more to burn. Anorexic people deteriorate their bodies which includes muscle. They may be skinny, but they are also weak as hell. And a few cocktails is subjective. If you've been binging and boozing, that may be the contributing factor, but if it's literally a few cocktails, it won't hurt your progress.
  • antisocialista
    antisocialista Posts: 17
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    I stalled and even gained a couple pounds when I wasn't getting enough protein; made me retain a ridiculous amount of water. Increasing protein 50% cured it right away. Up your overall calories, maybe cut the fat grams a bit, and pay attention to how much protein you're getting, especially with regular workouts.
  • 1983Miller
    1983Miller Posts: 89 Member
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    I also plateaued at 10 lbs lost. I went back to look at my monthly report and noticed a increase in sodium intake, and this could have caused some retention and bloating. Also too much cheese was on my diet, caused an issue. So review what you have been eating and see if there are any clues in your numbers, were they any categories in the red? Are you getting 8-10 glasses of water a day? (1 cup portions)? Otherwise ignore the scale for a week and see what happens. You might be surprised at the results when you are not paying as much attention.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
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    I looked over a few days of your food diary, and you often under eat. You are eating a lot of processed foods, no fruits or veggies, and living on granola bars and Atkins products. You are not getting adequate nutrients for the small calories you're eating. Try adding fresh fruits and veggies to your diet, and get your protein from lean meats like chicken and turkey.

    As for exercise, try adding in some resistance training (strength training - lift weights) since cardio is great for your heart but not the whole package for overall fitness and long-term results. Good luck!
  • sjdoman
    sjdoman Posts: 81 Member
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    20 grams of carbs? Really? Carbs are your body' main source of fuel. Atkins might help you drop weight initially but isn't a healthy sustainable loss. You need to eat a better ratio of carbs, protein, and fat. Whole grains and veggies will help you start losing again.
  • savage677
    savage677 Posts: 11
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    I get stuck eating the same thing every day, especially when I know it fits and keeps me on track. Your body gets used to it and slows up metabolism. Maybe shake up what you're eating and don't forget to have lots of water. Good Luck. :happy:
  • iamhealingmyself
    iamhealingmyself Posts: 579 Member
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    The more you eat, the more you burn? Why is it anorexic people are so skinny?

    They are skinny because they don't have any muscle mass. When you don't eat, your body uses fat for fuel. When your fat stores run low, you burn up your muscles and what you have left is skin and bones. There is a difference between having extra fat and having (muscle) meat on your bones.

    I also agree with others who have said, change it up a little bit. Plateaus come when your body knows what to expect. Take a day off or a weekend off and relax with your counting and start visualizing portion sizes. Also, feed your body all day long so that you never really get ravenously hungry. This applies to your workouts too. Your muscles will start to know what order you do your workout so work your machines in reverse every other day or skip a different machine or exercise. This is the only time chaos rules
    :wink:

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