Plateau frustration!

BicepsAndBows
BicepsAndBows Posts: 197 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
I seem to have hit a weight loss plateau, and I can't quite figure out why. Under my calorie goal consistently and working out 6/7 days a week. Could it be because I'm already at what is a low-healthy BMI for my age, gender and height? How do I push through this so I can meet my ultimate goal??

Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    the less you have to lose, the longer it takes

    without being able to see your diary, no one will be able to provide any more advice than that.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    What are your stats? How long has it been since you lost? Can you unlock your diary?
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    How long have you been at this "plateau"? You could be over-estimating how many calories you're burning when working out or under-estimating how many calories you're actually eating.

    This sticky has some great information regarding calorie counting:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1
  • BicepsAndBows
    BicepsAndBows Posts: 197 Member
    I prefer not to unlock my diary at this time. It became an unhealthy obsession when others could see it and was too anxiety provoking for me. Sorry!
    I've been at a plateau for about 2 weeks now. I've lost 6 pounds and want to lose just about 5-10 more and tone up. Any advice? If that's not enough info I understand. I do weigh my food, track everything including vitamins and condiments, and I use a Fitbit to track my workouts and only eat back a
    Small portion of those it says I burned to compensate for any overestimation. Thanks guys!
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Two weeks is not long enough to be a plateau. If you're being 100% honest in your logging, then keep doing what you're doing. It takes some time to lose those final pounds as you have to be very precise with such a small deficit.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited April 2015
    You need to give it more time.. 2 weeks is not guaranteed stall..

    You have alot anxiety from thinking people are poking in your diary? Unhealthy obsession regarding this? You only have to share it for a short while to get help.

    PS you may have a unhealthy or unrealistic expectation on the weight as well... just saying... LOL

  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
    Since it's only been two weeks, I'd say keep logging and exercising and give it some more time.
  • cocobongo
    cocobongo Posts: 186 Member
    What are you logging from your Fitbit? Could be the culprit in over estimating cals if you are logging walking cals and eating them back.

    An example would be MFP told me I had burned 200 cals for 90 mins walking 4 miles and someone on my timeline logged 1000 cals for exactly the same time/distance/pace. Even taking into account differences in our weight/age/height/elevation etc that's a crazy difference. They used a Fitbit to get that calorie count.

    Bearing in mind most people suggest halving what MFP tells you - if your Fitbit is over estimating and you are eating back full amount it could make a huge difference.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    you dont tone through weight loss you tone through weight LIFTING
  • MadtownMadisonian
    MadtownMadisonian Posts: 66 Member
    First of all, if you are already at your low-end healthy BMI, of course you won't lose quickly. No one would. You are already small enough that your body doesn't need as many calories to maintain resting metabolism as it would if you were overweight or obese. And you can't go lower than a certain number of calories per day, because after that you really aren't getting nourished.

    Second, there is a theory about set points, certain weights around which a person's body will fluctuate even when food and exercise varies. Almost as if the body "wants" to be at those weights. It can take a lot of work and a fair amount of time to change those set points and achieve a new homeostasis.

    Third, the many people who say 2 weeks is not a plateau are absolutely right. Weight will go up and down 3-5 pounds just from varied water. And for whatever reason, in my own case, my body tends to stay stuck in a narrow fluctuation for a couple of weeks and then, bam!, I lose 4 pounds over a few days. I can't say exactly what it's about but it happens often -- and having dieted several times over the years, I find it interesting that these "stuck" periods always come around the same weight. Set points? I don't know. But it helps make me patient.

    Good luck.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Two weeks is not long enough to be a plateau. If you're being 100% honest in your logging, then keep doing what you're doing. It takes some time to lose those final pounds as you have to be very precise with such a small deficit.

    That's what I'm talking about.
  • BicepsAndBows
    BicepsAndBows Posts: 197 Member
    Like I said above, I don't eat back all of the calories from exercise. About 25% of them. And I don't get insane numbers from my Fitbit, it's usually pretty accurate and if anything I err on the side of caution by lowering the amount it says I burned.

    Thank you for the recommendations about the 2 weeks... I wasn't really sure what amount of time is considered a plateau. I'll just keep up with making healthy choices with my fitness and food choices and see where my body goes in the next few weeks. Thanks everyone for the advice! :)
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