I have plateaued

New to MFP but i have been dieting for 3 months now i have lost 50 pounds and now i am 254 pounds. I am male 23 5ft 10in my bmr says 2100 and im eating 1500 a day with no exercise and its worked up till the last 3 weeks. I havent been able to lose any more weight please let me know what i should do or if im doing something wron! Thanks!
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Replies

  • mgermo
    mgermo Posts: 11 Member
    Either start exercising or eat a bit less.
  • z_bra
    z_bra Posts: 79 Member
    Weigh your food and log accurately.
  • AlanaTedmon
    AlanaTedmon Posts: 105 Member
    I'd recommend exercise! Why aren't you exercising? It's just as important as diet!
  • weigh my food?
  • I'd recommend exercise! Why aren't you exercising? It's just as important as diet!
    im not too smart as to how i add/subtract food/calories i would need to eat more or less of with exercising. I use to walk about 2 miles every other day for the week but i stopped when i saw i wasnt losing any more weight.
  • crisb2
    crisb2 Posts: 329 Member
    You haven't exactly plateaued you just stopped exercising. And if you lost 50 pounds it's time to re-evaluate your caloric needs (if you're still using the same range as when you started).
  • crisb2 wrote: »
    You haven't exactly plateaued you just stopped exercising. And if you lost 50 pounds it's time to re-evaluate your caloric needs (if you're still using the same range as when you started).

    I stopped about 2 weeks ago, one week after i noticed i wasnt losing weight anymore, and no i have not been using the same bmr readings as when i started. I've made sure to update that and adjust to my new needs. Tried for 3 weeks now and nothing has changed i just stopped losing weight.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    2 weeks is not a plateau

    You don't need to exercise if you don't want - although it would mean you get to eat more and end up feeling better with a better body

    Log everything you eat - weigh food on a digital scale, do not guess portion sizes, you can use cups and spoons to measure liquids that's all

    At your size you will be losing at 1500 cals if that's what you are eating but weight loss is not linear
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited October 2014
    I also think 1500 is too low, no way is that your BMR - you'd lose at 1800 to 2000 so up your calories and weigh all your food

    Try this http://www.weightloss-calculator.net to get a good idea
  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    2 weeks is not a plateau

    You don't need to exercise if you don't want - although it would mean you get to eat more and end up feeling better with a better body

    Log everything you eat - weigh food on a digital scale, do not guess portion sizes, you can use cups and spoons to measure liquids that's all

    At your size you will be losing at 1500 cals if that's what you are eating but weight loss is not linear

    Thanks, and its been 3 weeks, also i am now going to try what MFP reccommends which is 1700 and ive got my meals planned out also going to throw my exercising back in.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    3 weeks also not a plateau - 6-8 weeks= a plateau

    Why eat less than a 2lb a week weight loss would allow you to? That's nuts!
  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    3 weeks also not a plateau - 6-8 weeks= a plateau

    Why eat less than a 2lb a week weight loss would allow you to? That's nuts!

    Ok so for me to lose 2 pounds a week with my current bmr would be 1500 cal a day and MFP wants me to eat 1700 if i eat 1800 to 2000 like you say i would only b losing 1 pound a week right?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    But 23 yo male at 254lb at 5'10 sedentary gives a

    BMR of around 2300
    TDEE of 2800
    2lbs a week loss = 1800

    From. http://www.weightloss-calculator.net and from http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I think you should check your MFP settings


  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    But 23 yo male at 254lb at 5'10 sedentary gives a

    BMR of around 2300
    TDEE of 2800
    2lbs a week loss = 1800

    From. http://www.weightloss-calculator.net and from http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I think you should check your MFP settings

    i thought BMR was what my body burned evryday normally how do you factor in TDEE and what exactly is that?

  • also if i went back to exercising my tdee would increase al well right? So dont i also need to add more calories to make up for those i burned while exercising as well as what my new TDEE recommends for my increased physical activity or does that increase make up for the calories burned exercising?
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Bmr is what your body burns if you are in a coma ..it's what it needs to keep the blood pumping and all the basic body stuff

    As soon as you get up and walk to the bathroom you're burning calories...a sedentary lifestyle still burns calories above BMR

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure ...set to sedentary it doesn't include much

    MFP gives you basic calories without you doing anything

    If you exercise ...go for a walk or swim or gym yes add it ...half the calories MFP gives you and eat them (MFP and machines overestimate)
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    But 23 yo male at 254lb at 5'10 sedentary gives a

    BMR of around 2300
    TDEE of 2800
    2lbs a week loss = 1800

    From. http://www.weightloss-calculator.net and from http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I think you should check your MFP settings


    2800 - 20% is 2240.
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    ZmanRockZ5 wrote: »
    also if i went back to exercising my tdee would increase al well right? So dont i also need to add more calories to make up for those i burned while exercising as well as what my new TDEE recommends for my increased physical activity or does that increase make up for the calories burned exercising?

    Yes, your TDEE would increase if you started exercising again. In the calculator you'd switch "sedentary" to "activity 3 times a week" or whatever the closest match for your activity level would be. Most weight loss experts (even the ones who DON'T use MFP, lol) recommend TDEE -20% to lose weight in a safe manner.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited October 2014
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    But 23 yo male at 254lb at 5'10 sedentary gives a

    BMR of around 2300
    TDEE of 2800
    2lbs a week loss = 1800

    From. http://www.weightloss-calculator.net and from http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    I think you should check your MFP settings


    2800 - 20% is 2240.

    Well yes it is ...but 2lbs a week is a 1000 calorie defecit which is 1800

    Either works well and depends on the individual ...it's not a rule just a guideline
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited October 2014
    ZmanRockZ5 wrote: »
    also if i went back to exercising my tdee would increase al well right? So dont i also need to add more calories to make up for those i burned while exercising as well as what my new TDEE recommends for my increased physical activity or does that increase make up for the calories burned exercising?

    Yes, your TDEE would increase if you started exercising again. In the calculator you'd switch "sedentary" to "activity 3 times a week" or whatever the closest match for your activity level would be. Most weight loss experts (even the ones who DON'T use MFP, lol) recommend TDEE -20% to lose weight in a safe manner.

    Personally I'd stick at sedentary and log exercise as additional ...particularly if you have a tendency to stop exercising for a few weeks as you said in OP

    I exercise hard 3 times a week and try to walk 10K steps a day ...I synch MFP to my fitbit for the steps and use an HRM for the workouts and then log it ...but I'm still set to sedentary on MFP (and fitbit) as I have a desk job and unless I push myself I will be sedentary

    But still both ways work ...it's finding what works for you
  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    Bmr is what your body burns if you are in a coma ..it's what it needs to keep the blood pumping and all the basic body stuff

    As soon as you get up and walk to the bathroom you're burning calories...a sedentary lifestyle still burns calories above BMR

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure ...set to sedentary it doesn't include much

    MFP gives you basic calories without you doing anything

    If you exercise ...go for a walk or swim or gym yes add it ...half the calories MFP gives you and eat them (MFP and machines overestimate)

    Half what calories?
  • ZmanRockZ5 wrote: »
    also if i went back to exercising my tdee would increase al well right? So dont i also need to add more calories to make up for those i burned while exercising as well as what my new TDEE recommends for my increased physical activity or does that increase make up for the calories burned exercising?

    Yes, your TDEE would increase if you started exercising again. In the calculator you'd switch "sedentary" to "activity 3 times a week" or whatever the closest match for your activity level would be. Most weight loss experts (even the ones who DON'T use MFP, lol) recommend TDEE -20% to lose weight in a safe manner.
    Thank you i also saw this but that would only allow me 1 pound a week.
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    It's pretty hard to sustain 2 pounds a week. It comes off quicker at first.
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    PS don't listen to anyone who tells you how many weeks equals a plateau. It's a totally arbitrary figure. If you were losing weight consistently and now you're not, you might reasonably feel it's time to change something you're doing regardless of whether you meet their armchair expert criteria for plateau identification. Great job on the 50lb weight loss so far!
  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    Bmr is what your body burns if you are in a coma ..it's what it needs to keep the blood pumping and all the basic body stuff

    As soon as you get up and walk to the bathroom you're burning calories...a sedentary lifestyle still burns calories above BMR

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure ...set to sedentary it doesn't include much

    MFP gives you basic calories without you doing anything

    If you exercise ...go for a walk or swim or gym yes add it ...half the calories MFP gives you and eat them (MFP and machines overestimate)

    So after i get my new TDEE i know it increases my caloric inake but how do i make up for the calories burned from the exercise itself or do i not need to now?
  • fluffyasacat
    fluffyasacat Posts: 242 Member
    ZmanRockZ5 wrote: »

    So after i get my new TDEE i know it increases my caloric inake but how do i make up for the calories burned from the exercise itself or do i not need to now?

    Your activity is "built in" to the TDEE so you don't need to add it and eat back the calories. Only if you do some extra activity over the top of what you've already accounted for in the TDEE.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited October 2014
    The way I'd approach it, that would work for me would be

    Check your setting on MFP and go with the calories it gives you ...stay with a sedentary setting

    If that's 1700 that's your basic calories for the day

    If you exercise, go to the exercise section and log it ...but click on the calorie MFP estimates and reduce to 50-75% the number before submitting

    MFP will then change your calories yet to be eaten that day ...eat those

    So 1700 calories
    A 30 minute brisk paced walk, MFP will say 252 calories, double click and reduce to 100 or 150 then submit
    You now get to eat 1850 calories
  • PS don't listen to anyone who tells you how many weeks equals a plateau. It's a totally arbitrary figure. If you were losing weight consistently and now you're not, you might reasonably feel it's time to change something you're doing regardless of whether you meet their armchair expert criteria for plateau identification. Great job on the 50lb weight loss so far!

    Thank you very much for all your help soo far and for the congrats :)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    ZmanRockZ5 wrote: »

    So after i get my new TDEE i know it increases my caloric inake but how do i make up for the calories burned from the exercise itself or do i not need to now?

    Your activity is "built in" to the TDEE so you don't need to add it and eat back the calories. Only if you do some extra activity over the top of what you've already accounted for in the TDEE.

    Unless you are using MFP for your calories to eat which is what you said in which case it's not built in and you do need to count exercise as extra

  • rabbitjb wrote: »
    ZmanRockZ5 wrote: »
    also if i went back to exercising my tdee would increase al well right? So dont i also need to add more calories to make up for those i burned while exercising as well as what my new TDEE recommends for my increased physical activity or does that increase make up for the calories burned exercising?

    Yes, your TDEE would increase if you started exercising again. In the calculator you'd switch "sedentary" to "activity 3 times a week" or whatever the closest match for your activity level would be. Most weight loss experts (even the ones who DON'T use MFP, lol) recommend TDEE -20% to lose weight in a safe manner.

    Personally I'd stick at sedentary and log exercise as additional ...particularly if you have a tendency to stop exercising for a few weeks as you said in OP

    I exercise hard 3 times a week and try to walk 10K steps a day ...I synch MFP to my fitbit for the steps and use an HRM for the workouts and then log it ...but I'm still set to sedentary on MFP (and fitbit) as I have a desk job and unless I push myself I will be sedentary

    But still both ways work ...it's finding what works for you

    Thank you for all your help as well, really appreciated!
    So what im gathering out of everything is that ive just been eating too little and my metabolism has slowed or stopped :(, so im going to up my caloric intake, go back to my exercising and just keep track of everything and see how it goes from there!