weight stagnation

magenta4c · February 2011

hi forum,

i'm getting really frustrated now.. my weight is stuck for a month now. hovering in a 200g range up and down.

i swim 3-4 times a week about 90 laps (2.2 - 2.5 km), which burns about 950- 1000 calories at my weight.
most of the time i eat some of those calories back... about 300-500 cal.

my body fat has been reduced about 0.5% and 0.1% muscle mass has been built since my scale worked the last time over a month ago.

i just moved my goal from 1 to 1.5 lbs a week because of my frustration (1370), im not sure if this is the right move to do.

any suggestions?

thanks!

KaleighL · February 2011

Your body has gotten used to your workouts. You have to make them more intense to make your body work harder then the weight will begin to fall off again

RaeN81 · February 2011

Eat more and mix up your workouts.

rherrin5 · February 2011

Hi there! Only suggestion I have is to make sure you are netting 1200 cals. With swimming and burning that many cals I would think you would need to eat more back depending on your daily intake. I made this mistake in the past that if you do not eat back enough you will gain, or stand still. You need fuel for the fire so do not be afraid to eat those cals back. Its taken me a while to learn that. You do not wanna restrict yourself to much. If You NET between 1200-1300 you will lose weight on that. You could even NET 1500 and still lose weight. Let your cals jump around in that range for the next week and see if it helps any at all. Or maybe take a break for just one day and eat with in your range but do not swim that day. Hope this helps! Best of luck!

ps. maybe take a multi vit everyday, they really help and get your metabolism going

BeautyAndStrength50 · February 2011

im working on my last 6 pounds and its so hard to get off. So its the same situation for the both of us, I got me some protein powder and coconut oil and make a shake before my workout. I upped my cardio 15 more min. which is the Treadmill and its helped alot. Then I do my normal workout Jullian Michaels or Shawn T * HIP HOP ABS * and P90X ab ripper. 4-5 days a week.

* Dont do the same workout each day you have to shock your body so its doesnt know what you are going to do. You can swim like you do but less and add other exercise to it that will really SHOCK your body. And eat 5-6 meals aday.

Good luck and hope this helps.

Susie

westcoastSW · February 2011

I am in a similar position. I lost about 15 pounds over about 3 months, and I felt great. But then it stopped. I've been in the same 2-pound weight range the entire month of February! I'm so tired of stupid 165-167 I could scream, haha. I've searched this site and others for recommendations on getting off the plateau, and most people suggest increasing or altering your calorie intake, changing your exercise routine, and adding strength training (which I was not doing, but have started in the last week).

Sorry I don't have much new advice to offer, but I feel your frustration! I'll hang in there with you

magenta4c · February 2011

@kaleighlegler...yeah, i didn't mention that i just raised it from just swimming laps for an hour - which was roughly 70 laps (1.7km) - to 90 laps, sometimes 96...

can't imagine that the workout is the reason. EDIT: but maybe mixing it up is a good idea.

@rherrin5:
a question about the concept of the NET amount: is it the difference between (EDIT: not BMR but) calories the body needs to hold the weight and saved calories?

i am taking tons of vitamines for other reasons than weight loss. just started to take some l-carinitine however for weight loss, as i am vegetarian.

here are some recent NET numbers, please let me know what you think:

1713
811
1623
888
1314
134
1533
619
1379
1832
917
934
1034
1376
921
1287
1174

thank you!

Patcn60 · February 2011

Try

7.0 incline and 3.5 speed on Treadmill --walking only 30 minutes/ 7 days a week. At work:( breaks) trailmix or yougurt.
( lunch) salad-- every other day (dinner) you know what to eat

dawnemjh · February 2011

I am in the same boat!!!! It looks like your net calories are sometimes 600 or 700? Thats way too low. Try changing up your workouts and increasing your intake! At least 1200 per day, or even more!! I have tried everything and now I am going to increase my calorie intake!!

magenta4c · February 2011

ahhhh.
now i get the NET calorie idea... took a while to understand what you meant with that as i was thinking more complicated than the "total calorie amount on MFP after workout".

hm... i see.. problem is though, that i don't know what to do with all the calories. after workout i'm usually not hungry. and i find the calories MFP calculates for me plenty already.

maybe i need more fast food in my life *LMAO*
kidding...

jenbusick · February 2011

I am in a similar position. I lost about 15 pounds over about 3 months, and I felt great. But then it stopped. I've been in the same 2-pound weight range the entire month of February! I'm so tired of stupid 165-167 I could scream, haha. I've searched this site and others for recommendations on getting off the plateau, and most people suggest increasing or altering your calorie intake, changing your exercise routine, and adding strength training (which I was not doing, but have started in the last week).

Sorry I don't have much new advice to offer, but I feel your frustration! I'll hang in there with you

This. I spent TWO YEARS unable to get below a plateau, and when I upped my calorie intake and added strength training to my regimen, I busted the plateau and have been losing steadily.

CherylYMerritt · February 2011

i'm in the same boat, sick of seeing that same 133-131 on scale.

I have decided today to up my caloric intake for a week to see if there is a difference. Currently I do not "eat back" my w/o calories which is around 400+ per day... hmmmm...come to think of it since I started to do weight training with my running for the last two weeks. "light bulb"!!! That is exactly how long I have been stalled with my weight loss!

I think too that I will throw in some cardio tapes just for a change.

Good luck and thanks to everyone for the info.

rherrin5 · February 2011

Ok for the NET would be look at your my home and see the goal food exercise = net. That net you want to be above 1200. Thats the min a female body should have. Thats why I said you could go up to 1500 and still lose. I think if you try that and make sure your getting at least the min you will be ok. You have to keep giving your body fuel so it can keep burning. I read an article and ill look for it later, that even though you eat all your cals back your still burning more because your metabolism is really boosted and is burning more cals thru out the day. Im on 1310 a day and I burn around 500 cals doing leslie sansone walking video and I eat about 400 back to keep me above 1200 cals Its working very well for me. But if I do not walk then I stick to my 1310. Hope this helps!

rherrin5 · February 2011

Try to eat something after a work out. Thats when your body really really needs some fuel. I have a kashi granola bar and some yogurt and even a peice of fruit. Apples and peanut butter are great because of protien. Or like Susie Q posted, protien shakes is what she uses and it works for her. Just eat something for sure so your muscle can repair and be replenished after that big cal burn. They really need something then. Im not usually hungry either but I still eat because I know with some fuel my body will keep burning at a higher rate thru out the day. You can do it girly!

ChelseaRW · February 2011

I am in a similar position. I lost about 15 pounds over about 3 months, and I felt great. But then it stopped. I've been in the same 2-pound weight range the entire month of February! I'm so tired of stupid 165-167 I could scream, haha. I've searched this site and others for recommendations on getting off the plateau, and most people suggest increasing or altering your calorie intake, changing your exercise routine, and adding strength training (which I was not doing, but have started in the last week).

Sorry I don't have much new advice to offer, but I feel your frustration! I'll hang in there with you

This. I spent TWO YEARS unable to get below a plateau, and when I upped my calorie intake and added strength training to my regimen, I busted the plateau and have been losing steadily.

Thank you for saying this!!! Upping calories is scary. I plateaud for 3 months...joined this site to monitor calories, lost 4 more lbs...and have been stuck for a couple of weeks again. I burn 400 to 500 calories daily with different excercise routines and its just not dropping....of course I'm not drinking enough water still. Your busting a two year plateau...shows just how serious it is to have the proper calorie intake.

Leannek74 · February 2011

Not sure if this applies to you but.... it is a very easy fix!

If you drink diet pop (or any drink with aspartame) try giving it up for a couple of weeks.

My big plateau lasted about 2 month and no matter what I changed the scale/inches moved very little. Then I gave up my diet pop (like everyone says to do). It was sad, my one guilt free pleasure.

Then the pounds started to melt off. That was in October and now I've lost 10 pounds past my original goal!!! With a lot less effort I might add!

It made a HUGE difference to me... but then, this might not apply for you!

Good Luck!!!!!

PS I won't go back to the diet products! But I do have a regular pop once in a blue moon.

magenta4c · February 2011

got it now :-) i will do that. thanks for all the great advice! :-) 2 years plateau is a shocking message...

i'm just wondering why this never happened with almased/markert dieting... (protein drink with veggie stew and fasting and workout.) the energy deficit is soooo high with that method i shed 20 kg in no time... hardly ever being stuck... obvioulsy not the diet of choice, but it worked for my wedding...

i'm just back from walmart, buying a new body fat scale. my old one had some issues.
unfortunately this scale shows completely different numbers in the % area than my old one.
thankfully the body weight is pretty much the same... first time i stepped on it it added 2kg... that was a shock, but in the proper mode it showed a plausible weight.
the muscle % and fat % are very disturbing though....

well, at least a working system now and numbers i can calculate with.

about pop... nope.. i dont drink that kind of stuff. my hubby did, until i finally got a new soda stream.
http://www.sodastream.ca/
had one in germany for most of my life, but this didn't exist in north america until about 3 years ago or so.

i mix it with juices. preferably apple or lemon juice. great after workout. or drink it pure.

this thing. no plastic garbage, no bottle hauling... space saver. highly recommended!

thanks ladies!
:-)

rherrin5 · February 2011

Let me know how you like scale. I just have a normal weighing one and tracking body fat would be awesome! Can you send info on which one you bought and price range? Thanks!

magenta4c · February 2011

info: it's this here: http://www.camryscale.com/showroom/ef522bw.html
photo: http://www.camryscale.com/showroom/ef522bwbig.html

i got it at walmart canada. not sure if the US has them as well.
i preferred this one because it was the only one with muscle %.
all weight watchers conair models had bone destiny measurements instead of muscle. it was around 30 bucks.

weight stagnation

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