plateau

Have hit the same problem, I have decided to decrease my weight loss goal from two pounds a week to one pound a week. From what I am reading as you get closer to your normal weight you need to be with in 25 percent of your calories need to obtain maintance weight. More than that can cause you to plateau or lose muscle rather then fat.

Understanding Weight Loss Plateaus
Obstacles to Strength, Endurance and Weight Loss
By Paige Waehner, About.com Guide
Updated January 24, 2005

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

.See More About:weight loss plateaushow to lose weightweight loss results

Almost everyone reaches a weight loss plateau at some point in their fitness lives. The reason is that the human body works hard to keep energy intake and output in balance. In other words, your body does not like to lose weight (not a revelation, huh?). After your initial weight loss, your progress will slow down and eventually stop even though your exercise and food intake is consistent. The bottom line is that the very efforts you make to burn more calories may eventually slow it down.
Problem 1. Lowering your calories too much
Fact: It takes calories to burn calories. When you decrease your food intake, your body simply lowers its metabolic rate in response. This still allows the body to function properly, but ultimately your body requires fewer calories which creates hunger and prevents you from losing fat.

Solution:
Keep your calories slightly below your maintenance calories so that your energy and metabolism remain high. A deficit greater than 500-700 calories makes it much more difficult to maintain your lean body mass. To determine your approximate daily caloric needs, use this formula:


Men
kg (body weight) x 24 = kcal/day
Women
kg (body weight) x 23 = kcal/day

note: kg = pounds divided by 2.2 (i.e.: 180 lbs / 2.2 = 81.8 kg)

You can also calculate your Basal Metabolic Rate to determine how many calories you need to function, and then use a calorie calculator to add in calories you burn through out the day and with exercise.


Next page More Ways to Break the Plateau!

http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/weightplateaus.htm


Even better however, you could use this info to fine tune your caloric deficit using a percentage method and also base your deficit on your starting body fat level, to get a much more personalized and effective approach:

15-20% below maintenance calories = conservative deficit

20-25% below maintenance calories = moderate deficit

25-30% below maintenance calories = aggressive deficit

31-40% below maintenance calories = very aggressive deficit (risky)

50%+ below maintenance calories = semi starvation/starvation (potentially dangerous and unhealthy)

http://natural-weight-loss-tip.com/3500-calories-a-pound-of-fat-or-six-pounds-of-muscle/

I have come to the conclusion that growing old is not for sissies and loseing weight and staying fit takes a lot of knowhow.

I had the same problem. I hadn't lost since the beginning of Feb and had gained 4.5 pounds of water weight. I couldn't take it anymore and started taking SlimQuick again. I started taking it Sunday or Monday and I've lost 3.1 pounds in 4 days. I know it's just water weight, but nothing else was helping me to drop that weight. I know diet pills aren't a great solution for long term weight loss, but they seem to be helping, so if they help me out of this plateau and get things jump started, I'm all for it!

ive been stuck at the same weight, neither loss nor gain for nearly 4 weeks now, and i exercise atleast 40 mins 4 times a week, and my MFP calorie amount is 1250, but i realised my net was only becoming around 700/800, so i have increased my calories and this will HOPEFULLY have a good effect in a couple of weeks.

don't give up x