Help! I've PLATEUED!

miabrown66
miabrown66 Posts: 70
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
:grumble: Anybody out there have plateau advice? I have seen some in the past but cannot locate the posts..guess I should have bumped them. I am exercising and eating about the same. I don't eat a strict number of calories each day (i.e., 1200 per day), mine usually fluctuate some but stay pretty low, so I don't think zigzagging will help much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    I am wondering the same thing; oh, and what does it mean when you 'bump'?
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    Try eating a little more, and change up your workout routine.
  • ObviousIndigo
    ObviousIndigo Posts: 382 Member
    How long has it been since the scale moved?
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    Plateaus occur for a few reasons, some are due to diet maintaining the exact same cal intake daily will eventually result in a plateau as the body will adapt to it. My advice here is to shake it up, look at your cal counts as a weekly total not a daily, shake it up and eat more some days and less others just like you most people do. Once every few weeks splurge and go over it will shake up the body and get that metabolic rate up again as its guessing whats coming next. On the exercise side same deal the body will adapt, so shake it up again try to totally new workout regimen something that you are totally unused to and takes you out of your comfort zone. Try high intensity interval training, or metabolic resistance training. What it boils down to is that the body is constantly trying to reach balance (a plateau) do not make it easy for the body and it will keep losing the weight.
  • lutzsher
    lutzsher Posts: 1,153 Member
    Try eating a little more, and change up your workout routine.

    Exactly . . . and up your water to a good 10 glasses per day . . . you should see some results.
  • monicaP413
    monicaP413 Posts: 165
    I've plateaued for a few weeks now too!! I think most of us do this for a period of time. I remember reading about whatching the sodium intake, but would love to hear other advice.
  • msgillette
    msgillette Posts: 2
    I am having the same problem but I think that wy issue is that I am not eting enough calories a day.. maybe that might be your problem.. I actually gain a pound and I am frustrated I know how it feels.. If you find anything out let me know:cry:
  • braungal
    braungal Posts: 11 Member
    Have you changed up your diet or excerise at all? Last time I was in I asked my dietian (have one for my kidney disease) and she said that as we lose weight the natural resistance also goes down, making working out for our bodies easier so it is necessary to make adjustments.
  • xcharysma
    xcharysma Posts: 35 Member
    I am wondering the same thing; oh, and what does it mean when you 'bump'?

    'bump' is forum-terminology for posting something or usually posting the word "bump" to keep the topic current and on top of other topics/posts. Especially if it's useful for the person doing the "bump"/bumping.
  • kimpenny
    kimpenny Posts: 18 Member
    Don't panic too much. I have recently managed to beat my plateau. A combination of slightly less calories and different exercise seemed to do the trick. I have recently taken up pilates. Maybe just change the exercise,don't just do more. If you do more you will burn the fat but build the muscle so the scale won't move. It could just be that anyway. You will get there,just keep at it! :)


    And to 'bump' means to post in a topic to push it to the top. :)
  • deb54
    deb54 Posts: 270 Member
    Great advice , thanks for posting . Bump
  • godroxmysox
    godroxmysox Posts: 1,491 Member
    I am wondering the same thing; oh, and what does it mean when you 'bump'?

    'bump' is forum-terminology for posting something or usually posting the word "bump" to keep the topic current and on top of other topics/posts. Especially if it's useful for the person doing the "bump"/bumping.

    Ok, thanks.
  • army_cobra
    army_cobra Posts: 136 Member
    You need to count your macros if you want to get good results. Also do alot of cardio
  • jenbusick
    jenbusick Posts: 528 Member
    The advice about changing up your diet and workout is good -- just to be a little more specific, I would suggest adjusting these things to address whatever your current weaknesses are. For example, if you look at your diet and you see that you're always high on sugar, you might ask yourself what adjustments you could make to bring sugar into line, like increasing your protein or complex carbs and decreasing whatever's putting a lot of sugar into your day. For workouts, if you're doing all cardio, add some strength training; if you're already doing strength training plus cardio, increase your weights or resistance, or change up what muscle groups you're working. Give your body something that it has to ramp up to.

    Good luck! I hate a plateau like nobody's business!
  • Mekanic
    Mekanic Posts: 2
    I had the same issue, I was stuck. I wasn't eating enough calories and I soon as I started eating some extra whole grain carbs and extra calories into my diet it started to come off. My trainer also told me I should be drinking at least 10 glasses of water a day. Good Luck.
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,358 Member
    Macros?
    You need to count your macros if you want to get good results. Also do alot of cardio
  • army_cobra
    army_cobra Posts: 136 Member
    Macros?
    You need to count your macros if you want to get good results. Also do alot of cardio

    Yes macros like protein, carbs, fats and how many cals you should be getting for the day. Also how many cals come from protein, carbs, and fats
  • lklein
    lklein Posts: 215 Member
    Any suggestions for how much of a calorie fluctuation I should have? I currently am at 1200 calories/day.
  • eandskp
    eandskp Posts: 54
    Hi, I agree with many of the things already said here: splurge every once in awhile to rev up your metabolism, switch up your exercise routine every 4 weeks because your body will go into "muscle memory" mode. If you are not lifting weights- do so at least 30 minutes 3 times a week and cardio interval training for NO MORE than 30 minutes on the other 2 days. Interval is as hard as you can for 30 seconds then recover at a slow pace for a minute to a minute and a half. I say no more than 30 minutes because after that point, your body starts to produce the stress hormone cortisol which has been known to increase belly fat. The 30 minute limit applies to cardio only. Also, cannot see your diary so don't know what to suggest there. You can change your diary settings by clicking on "My home", "Settings" and then "Diary Settings" to make them public or to friends only. What I've found helpful as well if I am plateauing is to cut out all grains and dairy. You can still get carbs and fiber from fruit and veggies. Sodium does a huge number on me so I try to limit that as well.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    I would second the suggestion of High Intensity Interval Training, Metabolic Resistance Training, or if you don't do it right now, some sort of strength/resistance training. They will do more for weight loss, especially for fat loss, than steady state cardio type exercises. I am currently working on switching away from traditional cardio to these types of workouts with a focus on doing body weight training. Plateaus are not always bad, there are times your body needs, for lack of a better term, rest from weight loss.
  • eandskp
    eandskp Posts: 54
    Forgot to mention this about weight training- the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn overall. Weight training will release HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and also makes your bones stronger. You continue to burn more fat for up to 24-32 hours after weight training. All info I posted here is taken from drmercola.com and draxe.com .
  • army_cobra
    army_cobra Posts: 136 Member
    Any suggestions for how much of a calorie fluctuation I should have? I currently am at 1200 calories/day.

    This all depends on your BMR and TDEE, height, age, sex, weight
  • Newfiedan
    Newfiedan Posts: 1,517 Member
    1200 a day in my opinion is to restrictive to allow for any real fluctuation, if you are that low then I would be highly inclined to eat back all and I do men ALL of the workout cals, 1200 is the bare minimum and despite what you may think going that low will not equal faster fat loss unlike what many ppl will swear by. Fat loss will occur more rapidly with a good muscle building program coupled with feeding the body good wholesome foods, which is why I advocate clean eating as a lifestyle, I have had more success and a rapid weight loss using this method more than any other I have tried. Here is a great link for clean eating; eating from the top 2 tiers will give you the healthiest diet in terms of nutrition, anything below try to limit that. http://www.beachbody.com/category/michis_ladder.do
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    My goal is different than most (I'm adding weight), but it has been my experience that when I hit a wall, its time for a re-evaluation of my diet and routine.

    Not really eating a different amount, but trying new foods or adding/subtracting meals. Change it up, maybe five or six meals a day instead of four (just an example, I'm eating four meals a day currently) A solid week of 'active rest' works wonders for me. Long walks instead of short runs, basketball, tennis, fun things.
  • miabrown66
    miabrown66 Posts: 70
    I am wondering the same thing; oh, and what does it mean when you 'bump'?

    If you reply with "bump" it will keep the topic in your "My topics" so you can find it easily.
  • miabrown66
    miabrown66 Posts: 70
    You need to count your macros if you want to get good results. Also do alot of cardio

    What's a macro?
  • miabrown66
    miabrown66 Posts: 70
    Thanks for all the advice. I did just join a gym so I could start strength training; however, spring break interrupted this. Maybe after I get on a routine with this it will help. I also had decided to try and lower my carbs and up my protein to see if that would jump start. As far as eating more, I may try this if everything else fails. I don't lose weight easily so usually try to keep my calories at around 1200-1300 per day and sometimes lower. Thanks again!
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