Advice needed...anyone?

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Hey all,

Im at a stand still on my weight loss and do not know why, I was hoping someone out there could help. For the past three weeks Ive been stuck and actually gained three pounds and cannot figure out why. Here is my routine...I work out (cardio) six mornings a week for a minimum of 60 mins... but usually between 70-90 mins. I alternate between the elliptical and the StairMaster and I try to keep my heart rate in the recommended range for weigt loss for my age/weight.

I usually burn a min of 750 calories per cardio workout and my calorie intake for my day normally does not exceed 1200 calories, I also monitor my fats, carbs, protein, sodium and sugar using this sites daily food intake tracker. I am 99% of the time under in all these categories although i have exceeded in the sugar and sometimes sodium...but not often.

Ive lost a total of 19 lbs since I started a couple months ago but two and a half weeks ago I gained 3 lbs and have been stuck at 264 regardless on what I do...I dont skip on exercise, I put in a very good effort every morning being careful not to over do it and Iif I have a flaw on eating its that I may not take in enough calories. I eat something every three to four hours, slimfast, protein bar ect and I be sure to drink a MIN of 64 oz of water a day, in fact water is the only liquid going into my body.

Does anyone out there have any advise on what I can change or what I am doing wrong to put such a sudden halt on my weight loss???

Replies

  • breezymom81
    breezymom81 Posts: 499 Member
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    Well, I would say for one you are not eating enough calories! Numbers fro males should run around 1500 min. You might open your diary so people can see what you are eating. Also try to vary the routine, your body gets used to what you are doing, try adding some weights as well, the more muscle you have the more calories you burn.
  • MissAnjy
    MissAnjy Posts: 2,480 Member
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    are your NET calories 1200 ? Also, as a man, I'd think you would need more than that.
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
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    If you burn 750 a workout and are eating 1200 a day then your net is only 450, which is way not enough calories.
  • lnadeau66
    lnadeau66 Posts: 135 Member
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    Do you have a HRM? I gained 2 pounds one week because I was eating back the calories that my treadmill said I was burning. When I got my HRM, I learned that the machine was waaayyyyyy off, by about a third! Haven't had that problem since.
    Good Luck, Lynn
  • dcmat
    dcmat Posts: 1,723 Member
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    I too agree - you need more cals
  • sarahs440
    sarahs440 Posts: 405
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    Maybe you should try eating more calories. Your body may be in this starvation mode everyone talks about. Hang in there though. I was stuck at the same weight for almost three weeks then suddenly started losing again. Good luck!
  • ehte_h
    ehte_h Posts: 293 Member
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    Hey all,

    Im at a stand still on my weight loss and do not know why, I was hoping someone out there could help. For the past three weeks Ive been stuck and actually gained three pounds and cannot figure out why. Here is my routine...I work out (cardio) six mornings a week for a minimum of 60 mins... but usually between 70-90 mins. I alternate between the elliptical and the StairMaster and I try to keep my heart rate in the recommended range for weigt loss for my age/weight.

    I usually burn a min of 750 calories per cardio workout and my calorie intake for my day normally does not exceed 1200 calories, I also monitor my fats, carbs, protein, sodium and sugar using this sites daily food intake tracker. I am 99% of the time under in all these categories although i have exceeded in the sugar and sometimes sodium...but not often.

    Ive lost a total of 19 lbs since I started a couple months ago but two and a half weeks ago I gained 3 lbs and have been stuck at 264 regardless on what I do...I dont skip on exercise, I put in a very good effort every morning being careful not to over do it and Iif I have a flaw on eating its that I may not take in enough calories. I eat something every three to four hours, slimfast, protein bar ect and I be sure to drink a MIN of 64 oz of water a day, in fact water is the only liquid going into my body.

    Does anyone out there have any advise on what I can change or what I am doing wrong to put such a sudden halt on my weight loss???

    Definitely get some weight training in bro
  • amfaery
    amfaery Posts: 267 Member
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    maybe you are not eating enough? that could crash your metabolism. maybe try to mix up your workout try something new to surprise your body :) Do you take measurements? Maybe you have put on muscle that weights more than fat.

    I am also stuck I am trying to mx it up and see what happens
  • tamarab3
    tamarab3 Posts: 64
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    If you open your diary we may be able to give better advise. From what you say it sounds to me like you need to increase your calorie intake. I had the same issue. I lost several pounds on a 1200 cal diet, then stalled. I upped my calorie intake by a couple hundred a day and have been consistantly losing since. Good luck to you. You can do it!
  • Sezmo83
    Sezmo83 Posts: 331 Member
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    I'd also guess that you're not eating enough if you don't exceed 1200 calories. Try upping your calories and see what happens.
  • Tiggermummy
    Tiggermummy Posts: 312 Member
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    sorry doesn't sound like you are eating eneough, minimum NET calories for a man need to be 1500.

    Different folks will say there is no such thing as starvation mode etc. but try tweaking your calories and see what happens over a few weeks. you might gain for a week or two and then should start to see a downward drop again.
    I have lots to loose so should be able to do a 2lb/week loss, but 1200 cals isn't working for me at all, dropped my loss down to 1-1.5lb and there fore I am eating more calories and its coming off again.
    I do eat some of my exercise calories back, but as long as my NET is more than 1200 then if I am not hungry I don't stress.

    You will have to see what works for you.
  • eternalfyr
    eternalfyr Posts: 3
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    The only thing that I can think of at the moment is that coming in under 1200 calories is kind of low if you are 250lbs, you may be setting your system into starvation mode. You burning pretty much every calorie which you bring in. You may want to up your calorie intake a bit to see if it restarts the weight loss. Your body will store as much energy as it needs to function and if your workouts are causing it to need a certain number of calories to complete the workout and there is not much left over it will store the extra food and you will see a gain in weight or a plateau. I am almost positive if you bump you calorie intake up about 100-200 you should see a better result.
  • Banner1375
    Banner1375 Posts: 25 Member
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    I agree with the other posters that you are not eating enough calories. You might need to "jump start" your metabolism. Eat a little more for a few days, while maintaining your exerscise, then drop it back down to a lower level (maybe more than what your eating now.) Also, change up your routine on your exersice. Make sure that you keep your sodium intake low.

    Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

    Banner1375
  • kittybitz79
    kittybitz79 Posts: 213
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    I agree with what people are saying. If you are logging your workouts in MFP than the system is tracking how much your eating with exercise. If not start logging it, this might help you. Also if your still stuck start yo yoing your balance. It might be your body needs you to jump start it. There have been some good threads on here about it.
  • mlemonroe2
    mlemonroe2 Posts: 603
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    I would suggest eating back your exercise calories for sure. Also, change your cardio workout. Surprise your muscles, you get a better calorie burn. When I am at a stand still with weight loss, I eat over my calories by a few hundred ( so that I am eating at a maintanice level or slightly higher) This gives your metabolism a boost. Works for me!!
  • Dicktracy64
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    Thanks everyone for the advice!!! Looks like the consensus it for me to eat more....funny, I need to eat more to lose weight but I will give it a shot!! Who needs a personal trainer when I have all of you!!!!

    Thanks again

    Tracy