How to get off the plateau

nicoledurbano9 wrote: »

Hello! I've been using myfitnesspal for a little over a month and have had much success! My goal was to go from 136lbs to 128 lbs. Currently, I weigh 130lbs, and eat right around 1,280 calories a day. Also, I exercise 4 times a week, each exercise burning about 200 calories. For the past two weeks I've been stuck on 130lbs and am wondering if I need to eat more calories to break that hump (in the past I've found that I wasn't eating enough to lose weight, so when I added food I began to lose), or should I lower my food intake?? Like I said, when I originally started I was eating around 1,180 calories and wasn't losing anything, but once I changed my calories to 1,280 I lost a few lbs. How do I get to my goal of 128lbs!?

If you really think that eating more calories makes you lose more weight, the answer for how to lose more weight is clear.

DemoraFairy wrote: »

Two weeks isn't long enough to call a plateau, so don't worry! Weight loss isn't linear. Some weeks you'll lose, some you'll stay the same, some you'll gain. Just keep at it for now. If you still haven't lost weight in a month's time tighten your logging (and if you're not already weighing everything with a food scale, start now) and make sure you're not overestimating your calorie burn through exercise if you eat back your exercise calories.

+1

And you are only 2 lbs from your goal weight. It gets harder as you get closer to your goal. Keep tracking and logging accurately for another couple weeks.

Oh, the weight loss was from Oct 23,2014 till March 5th, approx 32 lbs.

Fishfinder54 wrote: »

I am also at a stall in terms of weight loss.

Starting weight of 325lb and now down to 292. Been at 292/294 since March 5th. I was put on 1800 cal/day by nutritionist but am averaging about 1400cal/day, and I weigh and measure everything. Sodium intake is between 2200-2500mg/day and I drink about 5 cups of water and 10 cups of liquid per day. Lifestyle is very sedentary due to disability, so not much exercise. Any advice??

Try weighing everything, measuring only liquids (like milk). From your diary, I can't tell if you're measuring a lot of solids, or weighing them and choosing an equivalent measured entry. But for example:

Stop and Shop - Light Rye Bread, 2 Slice <-- I measured my rye bread over the weekend and 2 slices weighed the same as what the package said THREE slices would weigh (actually, a couple grams more).

And do log everything, every day. You either starved yourself yesterday (please don't) or didn't log the whole day. Same with the day before. Annnd the day before.

If you can get out for a walk, walking is actually fantastic exercise. Even standing helps counteract being sedentary. (Don't know what kind of disability you have though.)

So: Weigh all solids and semi-solids. Log all the time, everything. Move a little more if you can, don't worry if you can't. And finally: persistence and patience. Sometimes the scale just stalls. You keep going. It will budge!

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nicoledurbano9 wrote: »

Hello! I've been using myfitnesspal for a little over a month and have had much success! My goal was to go from 136lbs to 128 lbs. Currently, I weigh 130lbs, and eat right around 1,280 calories a day. Also, I exercise 4 times a week, each exercise burning about 200 calories. For the past two weeks I've been stuck on 130lbs and am wondering if I need to eat more calories to break that hump (in the past I've found that I wasn't eating enough to lose weight, so when I added food I began to lose), or should I lower my food intake?? Like I said, when I originally started I was eating around 1,180 calories and wasn't losing anything, but once I changed my calories to 1,280 I lost a few lbs. How do I get to my goal of 128lbs!?

Nicole,

So you're only trying to lose five pounds, but have lost two already? I'd say that's progress, and I suggest that your weight loss goal is to aggressive for the amount of weight you have to lose. You don't need to eat so few calories.

You don't eat more to lose weight, you eat less. The reason anyone would lose more weight eating more is because they are properly fueling their body, which in turn gives a person more energy to move about.

However, in this instance, I would say what you are experiencing might be natural weight fluctuation. Weight loss is not linear, and since you are trying to lose just a few pounds it will not come off quickly.

I see you said you weigh your food as well. Try to eat only about half of your exercise calories back because apps usually overestimate.

Finally, I would set your calorie goals to lose a half pound a week if you are absolutely sure you are tracking accurately, and be patient.

urloved33 wrote: »

My trainer used to do something that shocked my body out of the plateau. the most common thing he did to me was put me on a leg press and had me lift and release as many times as i could (3 or 4 times) 800 lbs. and then my progress of gaining muscle mass and losing fat would begin again. Shock yourself but have a spotter.

People who disagree with my experienced please don;'t quote me to attack me. Just move on from me. Thank you!

That's not shocking your body out of a plateau, that is encouraging you to put more energy into your weight workout, which in turn burns more calories in the long term. Putting more energy into the workouts is a good thing.

Sorry, you can't just post something and then tell people not to reply. Disagreement is okay, you know.

nicoledurbano9 wrote: »

I do use a food scale for meats, grains, and pasta! And usually I measure everything I eat..but maybe it's not so accurate? Also I use MapMyRun which syncs to Myfitnesspal to track my exercises for me. But I guess I'll just do everything the same for a month and see how that works out! Thank you, everyone!

3 pounds left to lose really isn't that much. I suggest patience.

Just to check, I weighed the Stop and Shop Rye Bread and it came up 1 gram over. Something, but I don't think it's significant is it? Also, measuring things like cauliflower and broccoli can't be that different than weighing them as they don't amount to many calories to begin with. Also, I am already eating 350 calories below the limit imposed by my nutritionist. Shouldn't that make up for any deficit in broccoli calories?

>SLLRunner, what do you mean 3lbs? I need to lose another 100lbs LOL!

Fishfinder54 wrote: »

Just to check, I weighed the Stop and Shop Rye Bread and it came up 1 gram over. Something, but I don't think it's significant is it? Also, measuring things like cauliflower and broccoli can't be that different than weighing them as they don't amount to many calories to begin with. Also, I am already eating 350 calories below the limit imposed by my nutritionist. Shouldn't that make up for any deficit in broccoli calories?

>SLLRunner, what do you mean 3lbs? I need to lose another 100lbs LOL!

This is why you should make your own thread, she was talking to the OP.
OP, patience. A plateau is 8-10 weeks, you are but in a stall. Normal daily fluctuations can make one up the 3 pounds you're trying to lose.

Oops, I found it! Sorry again for piggybacking!